


Fangs- Dan X OC

by BerryBear23



Category: dan and phil
Genre: F/M, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-04-17 09:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 28,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14186232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BerryBear23/pseuds/BerryBear23
Summary: Samantha Greene was your typical college girl: attends Uni in London,clothes have a grunge feel, and works at one of the local nightclubs. Okay, maybe not so typical. But one night after work changes her world forever. After witnessing one of the guys she served at the bar murder a man, she runs in the street just as a car drives by. Once she wakes up, she realizes that she's in his house, where everything she knew turns out to not be the whole story...





	1. ~Chapter 1~

The rain falls down in sheets as I make my way through downtown London. I pull my coat tightly around myself. The streets are surprisingly empty for late Friday evening. I make my way around the back of the club and slip in through the employee entry.

Instantly, my ears are assaulted with loud music. I sigh as I hang up my coat near the door. "You're late again Sammie." Carter leans against the counter, cleaning some glasses. "Shut up Carter. You know I don't like it when people call me that."

Setting down the glasses, he smiles and tosses a cloth at me. Catching it, I join him at the bar and grab a tray of shot glasses. "The boss isn't going to be happy that you were late again."

One of my glasses clinks noisily as I slam it down slightly. "Come on man. Cut me some slack. You know I don't control my school schedule." Carter looks around before sliding closer to me.

"Fine. I'll keep quiet this time."

I smile sympathetically at him.

"On one condition."

I set my cloth down on the counter and roll my eyes. "What is it this time?" "You take my shift for me." I stare at him in disbelief. "It's not as bad as you think. See that table of guys over there in the VIP section?" He gestures to a group of men sitting in the corner. The three of them seem to be talking about something.

"What do I have to do Carter?"

He smiles sheepishly at me. "All you need to do is monitor their drinks and refill them when they're empty." Carter pats me on the back as he slides past me to grab his coat off of the wall.

"Wait! Carter! What are their drinks!"

"Bloody Mary!"

The door shuts behind him, leaving me alone to do his job. I look down the other side of the club. Beth, Tyler, and Adrian manage the partygoers' alcohol needs, Duke stands guard near the doors, and Lucas cranks out tunes with the scratch table. I glance over at Carter's group.

Taking note of the level of their drinks, I grab a bottle of vodka off of the shelf and set it down on the counter before reaching under to grab a cocktail shaker. I pour in the alcohol before adding some Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon, and a dash of salt and pepper. Placing the lid on the container, I shake it vigorously. I take deep breaths as I pick up the shaker and start to walk over to the table.

The three guys seem to stop talking as they notice me approaching. Immediately, two of them catch my attention with their brightly colored hair in shades of red and green. The other one seems to be normal with plain brown hair. What really draws me in is his deep chocolate brown eyes. Feeling slightly awkward, I quickly set the container down on the table, smile briefly, and turn to go back to the bar. As I walk back, a voice stops me in my tracks.

"Hey! What's your name?"

I turn back around to see all three of them looking at me intently. "Are...are you...talking to me?" The one with chocolate brown eyes nods. I take a step closer to the table. "I'm Samantha, but please just call me Sam."

They all smile at me.

"Nice to meet you Sam. I'm Dan."

The man with the chocolate brown eyes speaks with a clear British accent.

"Hello Sam. I'm Mark."  
The man with red hair greets me with an American accent.

"Hiya Sam! My name is Séan, but most people call me Jack."  
The man with an obvious Irish accent and wild green hair waves at me. I can't help it but find myself smiling back at them.

"Hey Sam! Get your ass over here and help us!" From across the floor, Tyler yells for me. I sigh. "What an asshole..." I mutter under my breath before turning back to the guys. "Sorry, but I have to get back to work. These drinks aren't going to pour themselves." I earn a few chuckles from Mark and Jack, but Dan just seems to stare at me.

I wave weakly before hurrying off to see what Tyler wants. "Finally! What in the world were you doing over there and where is Carter?" I sigh again as I get back behind the counter. "Carter wasn't feeling well so he left and I took over for him." Once again, I have to cover for Carter since I was late.

Tyler stares at me cynically. "Hey Tyler! What's taking you so long with getting that bottle for me? I can't make the drinks without it!" Beth looks away from the alcohol rack over at us. "Yeah. These olives aren't going to garnish themselves." Adrian shakes his head at us, his tight curls bouncing around on his head. I roll my eyes while Tyler flips Adrian off.

"Sam, just go get whatever she needs, okay?" I glance back over at the table. The three guys have disappeared. "Okay. Fine."

Eventually, the club has quieted down by 1:30a.m. Adrian has fallen asleep on one of the tables, Beth struggles to keep herself awake near the beer tap, Duke sweeps up the empty cups that linger on the dance floor, Lucas puts his equipment away behind the stage, and Tyler is busy pacing behind the counters. I am finishing up cleaning off the tables when I finally reach the table where the guys were. Ever since they left, oddly nobody has sat there.

For three guys, they really didn't leave much of a mess. I pick up the three glasses and cocktail shaker before heading to the kitchen to deposit the dishes. I grab my coat off of the wall and prepare to go home for the night when Tyler places his hand on my shoulder.

"And where do you think you're going Samantha? Your shift isn't over yet." I sigh as I turn to face him. "Actually, my shift should have been over an hour and a half ago." Tyler snickers to himself before speaking mockingly.

"Actually, you were two hours late for your shift, therefore you still have another half hour to be here." I sigh angrily. "Shit..." I mumble under my breath.

"How many times do I have to tell you people? I cannot control my school schedule! I get out when my professors let me." A smile forms on his face.

"Yes, and as your "professor" here, you don't get out until I say so."

All of my stress from the day finally gets to me. "You know what? Why don't you get your damn head out of your ass and realize that some people actually have a life and a dream unlike you!" My outburst draws the attention of everyone in the building.

I stand there awkwardly as all eyes land on me. Tyler looks to be the most surprised of all of them, all of the color drained from his face. Before I could embarrass myself anymore, I open the door and walk out quickly.


	2. ~Chapter 2~

My eyelids creak open to the sight of plain white walls.

'This isn't my room...where am I?'

My thoughts are interrupted by soft purring coming from directly beside me. As I sit up, I am greeted by a black furball curled up against me. Slightly frightened, I scream and throw myself out of the bed and onto the floor. The ball of fuzz moves slightly as I crawl away from the bed and back into a closet door. Thinking quickly, I throw open the closet door and crawl inside.

As soon as I close the door behind me, another door opens. "Oh come on Phil! I thought I told you not to come in here!" More rustling comes from the bed. "Oh. Sorry Dan. I couldn't resist! I just had to cuddle with her!" The one closest to me sighs. "Well where did she go?"

The room goes silent for a few moments. My heart beats violently in my chest. Suddenly, the closet door slowly inches open. I back up farther until my back touches the wall. The first thing I notice once the door has completely swung open is a pair of baby blue eyes staring at me from the top of the bed.

"Oh great! Look what you've done now Phil! You scared her!" The blue eyes look to a figure blocked by the closet door. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare her!" The owner of the blue eyes gets up and darts out of the room, the door clicking shut behind them. At this point, the only thing my ears can hear is the sound of my lungs rapidly inflating and deflating.

A pair of chocolate brown eyes peaks around the door at me. The sight of them sends the events of last night back to me. The drinks at the club, the dead man in the alley, the speeding car on the road, everything.

"It's okay Sam. It's just me, Dan. Please don't be scared." He smiles at me, his words swimming in my head. "...you...you're that guy from the club last night, aren't you?" He nods his head as he proceeds to sit down cross-legged in front of me. "Yeah. Good to see you again." I inch a bit closer to him, still managing to keep a good distance in case he decides to try something.

"What the hell happened last night Dan? Who was that guy with blue eyes in bed with me? What in the world are you?

The twinkles in his eyes appear to fade away as he looks down. "That other guy? He's just my roommate Phil. We share this flat. And as to what happened last night..." He pauses and glances up at me. "...Well, you'd never believe me." He looks down again as I move closer and stare at him.

"Try me."

He looks up and locks his eyes with me for a moment. "And do you swear on your life that you won't tell another soul what I'm about to tell you?" I raise up my right hand. "Scout's honor." He sighs as he looks around the room quite nervously. I move closer so there's only about a foot between us.

He looks down, but when he looks back up, his eyes have gone completely black again.

"Do you believe in vampires Sam?"


	3. ~Chapter 3~

I stare at him. He stares back at me with his black eyes.

"Do you believe in vampires Sam?"

"What are you talking about Dan? What is going on with your eyes?"

As soon as I ask, Dan's eyes return to normal as he sighs and looks down. "Forget it Sam." Barking from beyond the door grabs his attention. "Phil! I swear to god..." Dan gets up and leaves in a hurry. The door clicks shut behind him as I am left alone in the room.

Out of pure curiosity, I crawl out of the closet and approach the door. More barking comes from the other side. Slowly, I pull the door open and step out into the hall. Taking a few more steps, I glance around the corner into the living room. A clearly irritated Dan stands in front of a mid-sized black puppy.

 

"Seriously? You couldn't get up and open the door yourself?" He kneels down and waves his finger in front of the puppy. "No more Phil. Okay?" The puppy licks his finger, bringing a slight smile to Dan's face. I can't help it but smile to myself at the two of them.

'Awww! They're so adorable!'

Dan gets back up and walks over to the door. Sensing an oppertunity, I creep out into the living room and hide behind the sofa. From here, I can barely make out a soft scratching noise coming from the other side of the door. Peeking over the top, I watch as he opens the front door.

Two more little puppies come running inside. The bigger one has amber eyes and soft brown fur while the smaller one has electric blue eyes and light grey fur with a tuff of blue fur on top of his head. The grey one jumps on top of the black one, playfully tackling him while the brown one stands to the side, clearly excited just to be here.

"What is with you guys and not wanting to open doors yourselves?" Dan shakes his head as the puppies continue playing. Overwhelmed by all the cuteness, I can't help it but giggle at the puppies. Dan seems to hear me and looks over at the sofa. I duck down and curl into a ball on the cushions, hoping that he didn't see me.

Soon, the pair of chocolate brown eyes appear above me. Dan smiles down at me. "Hey. Glad you decided to come out of the closet." My cheeks turn a soft pink as he continues to smile down at me. "Hey Dan! What'cha staring at?" Three more pairs of eyes appear above me. One pair is light brown, another pair is that same electric blue, and the other is the baby blues from earlier. I try to sink myself deeper into the sofa as they continue to stare at me.

"Wowie! She is so pretty! Can I have her Dan? Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?" Feeling uncomfortable, I jump off of the sofa and dart down the hall. "Ethan! Look what you did! Now she probably doesn't like us!" An unfamiliar American voice floats down the hall. The man called Ethan giggles. "Sorry guys. She's just so adorable!" "That's what I said!" Ethan high fives with the baby blue eyed man.

I peek around the corner again. All four of them stare down the hall at me. Dan sighs as he steps closer. "Sam, this is Phil."

The baby blue eyed man smiles shyly at me.

"This is Matthew, but most people call him Matt."

The brown eyed man waves at me.

"And this ball of energy is Ethan."

The electric blue eyed man jumps up and down as he waves at me. I stare back at them, not wanting to move an inch. "See? Look what you've done Ethan!" Matthew turns towards Ethan and shakes his head. "I can't help it that I get excited by cute things!" Ethan pretends to pout as he crosses his arms and looks down. As the two of them bicker on, Dan walks closer to me. He speaks quietly, as to not frighten me off.

"Come on Sam. These guys are harmless. I promise you." I continue to stay put, so he gives me a reassuring smile. Felling a bit better, I walk up and stand beside Dan. He smiles again at me as he pats me on the back. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrap themselves around my waist as I am pulled into a giant bear hug.

"Wowie! You're even more adorable up close! And you're so warm and cuddly! I just wanna take you and-" "ETHAN!" Matt rips Ethan off of me. I can't help but smile as Ethan tries to squirm out of his grasp and hug me again.Noticing a problem, Dan rushes over to help restrain Ethan. As they do this, my eyes drift over to Phil, standing alone by the sliding glass doors.

I walk over and stand beside Phil. "What are you looking at Phil?" Startled by my presence beside him, he jumps slightly before turning to me. "Oh! Hi Sam! I'm just staring at a park." He turns back to the door, his eyes once again motionless as he focuses on a park. I take a moment and look out too. All I manage to notice is buildings, so I turn and walk away.

When I'm about halfway across the living room, Phil startles everyone. "SQUIRREL!" Ethan and Matt stand at attention briefly before rushing over to the window to join Phil. The sudden stop in Ethan and Matt's fighting sends Dan to the floor. After regaining my composure, I walk over and help Dan up from the floor. A light pink comes to his face as I pull him back up onto his feet.

"I could have gotten up on my own Sam." I roll my eyes at him as he rubs the back of his head. "A simple 'thank you' would have sufficed." We both glace over briefly at the other three, their eyes glued to the window. "Hey Dan. While those three are distracted, I think we should talk."


	4. ~Chapter 4~

Dan looks down at the floor. "Yeah. I guess we should. Come on." He grabs my hand and leads me to a different room. I sit down on the bed as he takes a seat in a desk chair. "Okay. First thing first Dan. What are you guys?" He sighs as he glances down at the floor for a moment. "Okay. I never thought I'd be telling anyone this, but..." As he looks back up, his eyes transition to black again.

"I'm a vampire Sam."

His voice seems to have grown deeper in tone. He stares at me with his black eyes, his head tilting ever so slightly. The corners of his lips curl into a sadistic smile, revealing the pair of fangs behind them. The hairs on my arms stand on edge as goosebumps form along my skin. "And them..." He glances at the door, his eyes staying black. "...they're werewolves."

I don't know what to do, so I just stare at him with unblinking eyes. Words swim through my head but I can't manage to form any sentences with them. Cat got my tongue? More like bat got my tongue. Dan just sits there, his black eyes locked on me.

Getting slightly creeped out, I notice my body slowly moving off of the bed and towards the door. Before he could do anything, I get up and race out of the room to the front door.

"Sam! Wait!" Dan's voice has gone back to normal as he calls after me. My fingers pry the lock open quickly, allowing me to throw open the door and make my exit. "Sam!" His voice becomes faint as I dart down the stairs, not caring to look behind me.

Finally reaching the ground floor, I burst outside into the sunlight. My heels clack against the sidewalk as I try to get as far away from the building as quickly as possible.

Once my lungs fail to work anymore, I stop and collapse against the side of a building. My chest heaves up and down as I struggle to supply oxygen to my entire body.

"Hey! Are you okay there Sammie?" I glance up to see Carter approaching me. "You look like you've just run a marathon." He chuckles as I roll my eyes at him. "Listen Carter. Are you going to continue to be an ass or are you going to be a gentleman and take my back to my flat?" He smiles and does a clumsy bow.

"I'd be honored to walk you home m'lady."

I smile and roll my eyes again as he locks his arm with mine. Together, we walk all the way back to my flat. He separates his arm from mine as we stop in front of the front door of my flat. "Are you sure you're going to be okay Sammie?" I sigh. "I thought I told you to stop calling me that Carter. And yes. I'll be fine. Dylan is here to keep me company. Speaking of which, I think I hear him coming to the door now."

Carter groans and rolls his eyes. "Great. Catch ya on the flipside Samantha!" He winks at me before turning and walking back down the hall right before the door of my flat opens. "Hey Sis! Where've you been? You didn't come home this morning." A strong pair of protective arms sneak their way around my waist and lift me off of the floor as Dylan pulls me into a big hug.

"Good to see you too Dylan." He proceeds to spin me around a few times before setting me down. "Another long night at work?" I look down at myself and realize that I'm still wearing my uniform before nodding my head.

"I know just what you need! You need a cup of Dylan's famous coffee!" Dylan strides off to the other side of the room where our "kitchen" is located.

"Dyl, I'll be fine. I just need to rest, okay?"

Dylan stops mid-scoop of coffee beans and looks at me. "Alright. I guess only you know best for yourself." He shrugs his shoulders before flopping down on the sofa.

I saunter off to my room, the door clicking shut behind me. A breeze rustles my pastel pink curtains.

'Shit...I left the window open again...'

I walk over to my window and shut it before flipping down on my bed. The weight of the world seems to have crashes down on top of me as I lay there.

'What is Dan was actually telling the truth?'

'What if there are vampires and werewolves?'

'If vampires and werewolves are real, then what else is real too?'

I sigh as I get up, putting the thoughts of Dan out of my head. The drawers creak as I open my dresser to find something else to wear. Selecting a black Fall Out Boy hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants, I close the drawers and head to the bathroom.

I set down my clothes on the top of the hamper before opening up the shower door. Soon, steam fills the room as hot water cascades from the shower head. I strip off my uniform and step inside. The hot water rushing over my body aides in calming my frizzled nerves

Feeling a bit more relaxed, I proceed to wash my hair and my body before rinsing off and stepping out. I wrap a towel around my head before drying myself off with another one. After drying off, I put on my selected outfit and toss my uniform into the hamper. I walk back to my room.

I peek into the main room at Dylan. He is fast asleep on the sofa, the TV still making noise in the background. I continue back to my room. The light continues to filter in through the window, casting light on to the walls. The cheery pink of the walls fills me with happiness, bringing a slight smile to my face.

I walk over to my radio and place my Coldplay album inside before turning it on. My head bobs in time with the beats, soothing me even more.

Suddenly, I am overcome with sleepiness. As if controlled by someone else, I crawl under the covers of my bed, falling asleep quickly.


	5. ~Chapter 5~

I wake up with a start, sweat pouring down my forehead. I look around as I sit up. No longer in my room, I am surrounded by woods. A single beam of moonlight falls on me like a spotlight. Mist hovers above the ground in a thick layer. The trees seem to bend and wave in the breeze. The air around me feels still as I stand up, as if I'm being observed by some unseen force. Taking a moment to examine myself, I notice that I am no longer wearing my hoodie and sweats but a vibrant red dress that flows down slightly above my knees with a matching pair of heels.

A wolf howls in the distance, startling me. It is then accompanied by two more howls, each one a bit longer than the other. The wind seems to pick up as well. It ruffles my hair as I turn and glance up at the moon. Three bats flutter through the sky, passing over the moon as they do so.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. A soft voice floats along the wind. "...run..." Several twigs snap around me. My eyes dart to each noise. In place of the sound, there is a pair of glowing eyes: two pairs of bright blue and a pair of glowing amber.

My legs move faster than my brain as I begin to sprint into the woods. I struggle to keep up with my feet as I dodge fallen trees and random rocks that appear. Sticks snapping behind me become more prominent and constant as I am chased.

My breathing starts to grow heavy as my body becomes tired. I look around frantically for somewhere to rest. My eyes finally rest on a tree. I stop at the base and glance around. The noises coming from behind me seem to be distant enough to give me just enough time to climb up to a branch.

Not letting my heels stop me, I scramble up the tree. My finger grab onto any branch they can find as I pull myself up. I find a branch I deem sturdy enough for myself and sit down on it. My heart pounds in my ears as the crackling of leaves gets closer.

Soon, three wolves appear below me. The more I look at them, the more I realize that they look exactly like the puppies I saw earlier. One wolf is black, the other is brown, and the last one is light grey with a tuff of blue fur on top of its head.

They stand below me for a few minutes, their muzzles held in the air, as if they were trying to locate my scent. Eventually, one of them gives a short howl before the pack races off.

My relief is short-lived as the branch I'm resting on cracks and breaks off, sending me to the ground. I land in an awkward position with my right leg trapped under my back. Pain strikes through my leg as I struggle to get myself up off of the ground.

A light whooshing noise from behind me causes me to freeze. Another one, slightly louder than the other, comes from my left. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up once again. Not waiting to find out the cause, I start to run once again. The whooshing continues behind me, becoming closer before falling back again.

Suddenly, my foot gets caught on a random tree root protruding from the ground. I scream as I fall to the ground, the root seeming to become more tangled around my ankle. I ignore the pain in my back at I claw at the root around my ankle. The more I try to rip it off, the tighter it grows.

In my desperation to free myself, I fail to notice the two figures that stand in front of me. Eventually, my eyes move to them. I gasp and try to move backwards as they come into focus. Jack and Mark stand in front of me, their vivid hair colors apparent in the dark.

"Should we do it now? I'm starving!" Jack glances over at me before looking back at Mark, his eyes glowing red. "Not yet." Mark smacks him in the back of the head, his also red eyes glowing fiercely. "You know what would happen to us if he found out." Jack nods as he rubs the back of his head miserably.

I feel helpless as they stare at me, their eyes feeling like they're penetrating my soul. A twig snaps behind them. They both look behind them before smiling to each other.

"Wow. I'm glad to see you both actually waited for me this time."

All of the air in my lungs is knocked out as I hear that familiar deep voice. Jack and Mark step to the side, letting Dan come to the front. He stares at me with his black eyes, his lips curled into a sinister grin that reveals his fangs.

"Why hello Sam. Beautiful night, isn't it?"

His smile disappears as he turns back to the other two. "I get the first bite, then you two can have at her as much as you want. Just don't kill her..." He turns and looks at me, his black eyes flickering with excitement. "...We need her...alive..."

All of a sudden, I feel a small pinch as Dan sinks his teeth into my neck. "Don't worry. It doesn't hurt." Mark smiles as he looks at me. "At least not for long." Jack also smile as he looks at me.

I feel two more small pinches as they sink their teeth into either of my shoulders. I can only lay there as each of them drain all of the blood from my body. As they do this, the commotion seems to have caught the attention of the wolves, bringing them right to me. My vision slowly goes black as they drain the rest of my blood and the wolves bite and claw at my body.


	6. Chapter 6

I wake up with a start, my blanket tangled around my feet. Coldplay still plays in the background as I pry my covers off of my legs. 'That was all just a bad dream?' I glance around my room. everything is in its place, exactly where it should be. I manage to pull my covers off of my legs and toss them to the foot of the bed. Swinging my legs over the side, I flick on my bedside lamp before getting out of bed and turning my radio off. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, I swap the CD before turning the radio on again.

With the music filling the room, the dream I had doesn't make me feel as jumpy as when I first woke up. 'What was that even all about?' I sigh and return to my bed. Moonlight filters through the window, casting a soft light on the walls. I turn off my lamp before pulling the covers back up and rolling onto my side. I shut my eyes and try to fall asleep, but the moonlight keeps me awake.

Eventually, I give up on trying to get more sleep and stare up at the ceiling. The thought of my ideal room floats through my head: one with a big bed that has glow in the dark stars stuck on the ceiling above it, clearly visible against the teal painted walls. A small tapping on my window causes me to look over at it, pulling me from my daydreaming.

To my surprise, Dan sits by the window, peering in at me with his chocolate brown eyes. I sigh as I get out of bed again and stride to the window. I cross my arms and stare at him. "Come on Sam. Please open up the window and let me in. It is freezing out here!"

"Why should I Dan? Why should I let you in? You're dangerous for all I know." A look of pain flickers in his eyes briefly as he looks down. "I know I have a lot of things to explain to you, but it would be so much easier to explain them all if you let me in." He stares at me with his eyes, pleading with me to let him inside.

Reluctantly, I unlock and open the window, allowing Dan to crawl inside. "What do you want Dan? How did you manage to get here?" I sit down on the edge of my bed as he paces across the room. "Getting here was the easy part. I just flew. But leaving without Phil noticing? Well, that is harder than it seems." He stops and looks up at me shortly before starting to pace again. 

He continues to pace back and forth as I get up and turn the lights on. He seems to cower for a second before adjusting to the light. I sit back down on my bed and cross my arms. "Why are you here?" Dan looks over at me, his eyes black again. 

"You believed me when I told you, didn't you?"

"Believed what?"

"That I am a vampire. That vampires exist."

He stares at me, waiting for an expected answer. He steps a bit closer to me, the light making it seem as if the black pools in his eyes go on forever. "You believe me, right Sam?" His deep voice sends shivers down my spine. "So you really aren't making any of this up?" He shakes his head. I continue to stay silent for a few more minutes.

"Yeah. I believe you Dan."

His fangs protrude from above his bottom lip as he smiles as he strides over to sit down beside me. Unexpectedly, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. He presses his fangs softly against me as he buries his face in my neck. His lips move slowly as he places gentle kisses up an down my neck.

"Do you trust me Samantha?"

His flirtatious behavior startles me. I have never seen this intense side of Dan. He is always so mellow and casual, not overbearing and pushy. I feel his lips part as he breathes heavily against my skin. He tilts his head and places the tips of his fangs over a vein in my neck, pressing them ever so slightly as to cause them to indent but not puncture my skin.

He hesitates, like he is resisting some inner force. He pulls his head back suddenly and casts his gaze to the window. I watch as he takes a few deep breaths before turning back to me. He looks at me, his eyes gone back to their natural chocolate brown.

"I am so sorry Sam. I don't know what came over me." He looks down and sighs. "It's fine. I trust you." He looks up and smiles weakly at me. As I look into his eyes, they flicker between black and chocolate brown for a few seconds. He gets up quickly and walks over to the window.

"Where are you going Dan?" He freezes for a moment. "Uh...I have to go..." Getting up, I walk over to him. "Why?" He doesn't look at me as he opens the window. He starts to go out, but I grab him by the shoulder and pull him back inside. 

"Tell me. Please?" 

He sniffles quietly before turning to me. "...I can't control him anymore..." He looks at me, the chocolate brown of his eyes slowly being replaced by blackness. A few tears roll down his cheeks, leaving streaks in their wake. The more the blackness consume his irises, the more his tears turn blood red.

He pushes my hand off of him forcefully, his nails replaced with long, sharp claws. Protruding from his lips, his fangs glisten in the moonlight. His now black eyes stare at me, seeming to look into my soul. He moves towards me slightly before stopping himself, forcing himself to stare up at the cresent moon.

"...I don't want to hurt you..."

He leaps out of the window, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

My mind swirls with more thoughts than ever before. 

 

"What was Dan doing here?"

 

"What did he want to explain to me?"

 

"Why did he leave so suddenly?"

 

"Why was he acting so strangely?"

 

"Why me?"

 

He always seems to leave me with more questions than answers. I sigh, my brain pounding in my skull. This is too much to process! Vampires and werewolves are real? I lay down face first on my bed, my head too scrambled to fall asleep again.

 

I stay there for what feels like forever, my body refusing to move an inch. As soon as I pull my face up from in my pillow, sunlight glares right into my eyes. I place my hand over my eyes as I get up and pull the curtains shut. My hand moves from covering my eyes to covering my mouth as I yawn widely. I stretch briefly before walking over to the mirror.

 

My red hair looks like I was stuck in the middle of a tornado as it waves randomly on my head. I grab my brush off of the top of my dresser and drag it through my hair a few times, pulling and brushing until my locks cascade somewhat evenly down my back and over my shoulders.

 

I set my brush down and stare at my reflection. My jade green eyes stare back at me, complimenting my small cheekbones and round face. Most people say I'm beautiful, but I don't really see it. 

 

My radio plays faintly in the back. I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly and walk over to my desk to shut it off. Once doing that, I leave my room and go to the bathroom.

 

Walking into the living room, I notice that Dylan is no longer sleeping on the sofa and the telly has been shut off. I guess he went back to his room. I stride past the sofa to the counter where the coffee machine sits, waiting for someone to turn it on. 

 

I pull open the cupboard and pull out one of my many mugs. Ironically, the one I choose is one of my Twilight mugs, this one having Jacob on it. I sigh as I set it down and start searching for the coffee cups I just bought.

 

Finally finding them in the refrigerator for some reason, I take one out and insert it into the coffee machine before setting my mug under it and turning it on. My beverage sizzles and splashes as it is dispensed into my mug. 

 

Steam drifts from the surface of the liquid as the machine stops. I grab my mug by the handle and pull it out. I pour in some creamer and sugar before stirring it, the black liquid turning to a light brown. A smile forms on my face as I take the first sip.

 

'Mmm...peppermint mocha...delicious...'

 

I watch as the image of Jacob on the side of the mug seems to transform into a werewolf as my mug gets hotter from the liquid in it, one of the reasons why I bought the set of changing mugs in the first place.

 

A slight knock on the door gets my attention. I hold my mug a bit tighter as I walk over to the door. Using my free hand, I pull it open, revealing Phil standing on the other side. "Hi Phil."

 

I smile briefly as he jumps slightly. "Oh! Hey Sam!" I pull the door completely open as Phil strides inside. Handing him my coffee, I shut the door before taking it back. I walk over to the island and set my mug down there before taking a seat on one of the stools.

 

Phil continues to stand awkwardly, his eyes not wanting to leave the floor. "So what's up?" He looks over at me and smiles shyly. "Have you seen Dan? He never came back last night." Slightly confused, I stare at him as he starts to pace.

 

'Dan never went home last night? What happened? Where is he?'

 

"I mean, sometimes he leaves in the middle of the night, but the new moon isn't for another week at least. He never leaves more than a few days in advance. This isn't anything like him! He never leaves this early. I don't know if-"

 

I get up and grab Phil by the shoulder. "Woah! Slow down man." He stops and stares into my eyes, his baby blue eyes filled with worry and showing great concern for Dan. "What are you talking about?"

 

He sighs and looks down at the floor. "I guess he hasn't explained it to you yet." He chuckles as he shakes his head. I let go of him and look at him, more confused than ever before.

 

"Hey Sam! Who you talking to?" I glance up and see Dylan standing in the hall. He yawns as he rubs his eyes. I glance around the room. Phil is nowhere in sight. I look over at my older brother. "Oh you know. Just talking to myself." I laugh nervously as he stares at me. He rolls his eyes as he walks over to the coffee machine. 

 

"Whatever. Why didn't you wake me up when you saw that I fell asleep on the sofa?" He glances over his shoulder at me as he places his coffee into the machine and grabs a mug from the cupboard. "Oh! I...uh..."

 

Suddenly, I feel something tugging gently against the leg of my sweatpants. I look down and see a black puppy with baby blue eyes. It looks up at me as it continues to pull at my leg. I lean down and scoop it up into my arms.

 

"...I thought you looked really comfortable there so I didn't want to bother you." 

 

Dylan pays no attention to me as he fixes his coffee. The puppy licks my cheek, causing me to giggle. Dylan starts to looks over at me. Thinking quickly, I hide the puppy in the pouch of my hoodie. "What's so funny?"

 

I try to keep a straight face as he stares at me. "N...nothing..." The puppy bites my fingers gently as Dylan continues staring at me. "I...uh...left my phone in my room. I'll be right back." I rush to my room, holding the puppy still with one hand while using the other hand to open the door. I shut and lock the door behind me before walking over to my bed.

 

Being ever so gentle, I pull the puppy out of my hoodie and set it down on my bed. It licks my hand and yips quietly before rolling on to its back, exposing its fluffy belly. Resisting the urge to give it a belly rub, I unlock my door and go back into the living room, making sure to shut the door completely behind me.

 

"Seriously? You're using one of your Twilight mugs? What, are you like, 13 years old?" Dylan holds my mug, turning it to get a good look at it. I snatch it out of his hand and hold it close to my chest. "Yes I am using my Twilight mug. There's nothing wrong with that."

 

He smiles as he shakes his head at me. "Oh Sammie. What am I going to do with you?" He wraps his arm around my shoulders and squeezes me playfully. I roll my eyes at him. "You're lucky that I love you or else I would have punched you for calling me that."

 

He laughs as he lets go of me and walks back to his room. "Love you too Sam." I watch as he enters his room before going back into mine.


	8. Chapter 8

I shut my door behind me, making sure to lock it just in case Dylan decides to pay me an unexpected visit. I turn around to see Phil sitting cross-legged in the middle of my bed. "Wait a minute. How did you get in here Phil?" He stares at me. "You put me in here, remember?" I take a moment to think.

'The only thing I recall putting in here was...the black puppy with baby blue eyes...'

"So you...can turn...?"

He nods his head. "Yup. That was me. I'm adorable, aren't I?" He places his head in his hands and smiles at me. I shake my head in disbelief. Phil frowns as he sighs deeply.

"Dan didn't explain that to you either?" I shake my head again. "Great. Looks like I've got a lot to explain." He glances down at the floor as I take a seat in my desk chair. "Might as well start at the beginning."

He smiles weakly as he looks over at me. "Alright. As you probably know, my friend Dan is a vampire. So are his friends Mark and Jack. Their powers get stronger the closer it gets to a new moon and it gets weaker the closer it gets to a full moon. The opposite applies to werewolves like me. The closer it gets to a full moon, the stronger our powers become and the closer it gets to a new moon, the weaker our powers become. You remember Ethan and Mat, right?" I nod my head.

'Yeah. The clingy man with blue hair and the practical man with brown hair.'

"Well they're both also werewolves, like myself. Anyway, our powers act like an alter ego. Basically, the closer it gets to our specific moon, the more uncontrollable our egos become. When this happens, normally we go somewhere people don't come to, just to make sure we don't hurt anyone. If not, well, bad things can happen."

Phil looks down again. "Wait. How come you turn into a puppy instead of a wolf or something?" He looks over at me again. "See, we're special. We get to choose between an adult wolf or a cute little puppy. But when it becomes a full moon, we only change into a wolf though."

He sighs. He lays back on my bed. I sit there silently and watch him as he stares at the ceiling. "I know it's a lot to handle. If you want me to leave so you have some space, I don't mind." He glances over at me. "You can stay Phil. I don't mind. I enjoy your company." I smile at him and he smiles back at me.

We stay like that for a bit, neither of us talking. The silence allows me some time to wrap my brain around everything he just said.

'Werewolves have a choice between being a wolf or a puppy?'

'When vampires go "full vampire", it's almost like an alter ego?'

'Their strength depends on the phase of the moon?'

Phil's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "I'm bored. Are you bored?" He looks over at me. I shrug my shoulders. Suddenly, he sits up straight and stares at me. "Wanna go to the park with me Sam?" I laugh softly. "Why do you want to go to a park Phil?"

He rolls on to his back and hangs over the foot of my bed. "Because parks are soooo pretty and there's flowers and squirrels and birds and grass and trees and-" I cut him off with my chuckles. My laughter sends me sprawling to the floor.

Soon, my giggles travel to Phil. He starts laughing too and eventually finds his way to the floor beside me. We lay there, both of us giggling until we can't any more. I rest my head against his chest. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer to him, resting his head on top of mine. I listen to his heart beat for a while.

"I really hope Dan is okay. This isn't like him." I lock my hand with his and squeeze it reassuringly. "Don't worry Phil. I bet Dan is fine." Pulling his hand from mine gently, he sighs deeply before going silent for a bit. "So are we going to the park or not?" He looks down at me as he runs his fingers through my hair, his baby blue eyes filled with mischief. "Do you really still want to go?" He nods his head. "And not stay here?" He nods again. I curl up beside him.

"But I'm so comfortable here..." He giggles and pats my head. "You know we can still do this at the park right?" I look up into his eyes as I nod my head. He gets up from under me gently and stretches. "Then let's go."

I rub my eyes and stand up as I glance at him. "Go where Phil?" He grabs my arm as starts pulling me towards the door. "To the park Sam! To the park!" I pull my arm out of his grasp. "Okay! Okay! We can go to the park, but I have to get changed first."

He sighs and looks down. "Okay. I guess I'll wait here." He walks over and sits down on the edge of my bed. I grab an outfit out of my dresser before leaving my room.

I shut the bathroom door behind me and set my clothes down on top of the hamper. I brush my teeth before starting to change. I swap my Fall Out Boy hoodie for a grey MCR t-shirt and my sweatpants for a pair of red ripped skinny jeans. Crouching down, I reach under the sink and pull out my jewelry box.

Setting it down on the counter, I pull out my black onyx pendant and a pair of pentagram earrings before putting them on. I place my jewelry box back and take out my makeup bag. I put on some black lipstick, pair that with some silver eyeshadow and black eyeliner, and dust my cheeks with a bit of gold highlight before putting my makeup back and exiting the bathroom.

I grab my pair of black Converse from the front door before going back into my room. Phil seems to freeze when he sees me. "Wow...you look...good..." I smile shyly as I look down. "Thanks." He continues to stare at me as I sit down in my desk chair and put on my shoes.

"Ready to go?" I look at Phil as I stand up. His cheeks turn pink as he glances away from me quickly. "Yeah...we just need to stop at my flat real quick." I nod my head as I pull open my door. He steps out before I close my bedroom door behind me. I run back into my room and grab my phone and maroon hoodie before we both leave my flat and head to Phil's flat.


	9. Chapter 9

We walk for about five minutes before stopping in front of Phil's building. "Wait here. I'll be right back." I lean against the side of the building as Phil rushes inside. The sunlight warms me up as I tilt my face up to the sky. People walk by, not paying any attention to me.

As I stand there, I hear a familiar voice float down the sidewalk. "Well hey Sam! I wasn't expecting to see you here!" I glance to my left and see Ethan walking towards me. "Hi Ethan. I wasn't expecting to see you here either..." He smiles as he joins me in leaning against the side of the building.

"So, what'cha doing?"

"Waiting for Phil."

"Why are you waiting for Phil?"

"Because Phil wants to go to the park with me."

Ethan's eyes seem to light up as I mention the word 'park'. "What? You're going to a park? Can I come? Can I come? Can I come? Can I come?" He grabs my arm and starts to jump up and down excitedly. I cringe internally, hoping nobody is watching us right now. I pull my arm out of his grasp and take a step away from him. "I'm sorry Ethan, but that's up to Phil to decide."

He stops jumping and stands still, his smile disappearing from his face. "Oh. Okay. I guess I'll-" Just as Ethan was about to leave, Phil reemerges from the building wearing a Jake from Adventure Time hoodie with a pair of black jeans. "Oh..." Detecting a bit of sadness in his voice, I glance over at Phil. His baby blue eyes flicker with disappointment for a moment before shining brightly with enthusiasm.

"Hey Ethan! What are you doing here?" Ethan moves from me to Phil. "Can I come to the park with you and Sam?" Unsure, Phil looks over at me hesitantly. I shrug my shoulders, signalling that I don't care either way. "I...I guess you can come...and hang out with us..." Ethan smiles widely at the both of us.

"Wowie! I can't believe I'm going to get to spend the entire day with two of my favorite people!" Phil and I glance at each other, silently debating whether or not letting Ethan tag along with us was such a smart idea. Ethan grabs and pulls both of us by our arms. "Come on you two! Let's go!" Letting go of us, he stands still for a moment before bursting out in a sprint down the sidewalk. "Last one there is a filthy mutt!" We both watch him run for a moment before starting to chase after him ourselves.

Out of breath, Phil and I manage to get to the park. Ethan got there first, however, and runs up to meet us. "There you guys are! I thought you left me for a second. What took you guys so long?" Phil leans against his knees as I crumple to the ground, both of us struggling to replentish our oxygen supply. "How did you get here so fast?" I speak as I sit up in the grass. "I don't think I've ever done this much exercise in my life!" Phil tosses himself to the ground beside me, his chest heaving up and down rapidly.

"Man. You two are really out of shape." Ethan stares at us as I help Phil sit up beside me. "Easy for you to say. You have, like, unlimited energy." Ethan lays down beside me and stares up at the clouds, his electric blue eyes seeming to drift along with the puffy white balls.

"Not all the time. Sometimes things make me tired."

"Like?"

"Sunny days, the sound of the ocean, freshly cut grass, maple syrup, cute girls-"

A glare from me shuts him up. Phil giggles beside me, so I look at him. His cheeks go pink as he looks away. A bout of silence comes over us as we sit there in the grass. The clouds continue to pass overhead. Ethan tries to moves a bit closer to me, so I push him away slightly. He whimpers softly before moving away a bit more.

A butterfly flutters by, catching Ethan's attention and making him forget about me. He swats at it, closing his hand into a fist. The butterfly floats by as he grabs nothing but air. I roll my eyes as he tries again, the butterfly lingering just beyond his fingertips.

It lands on a flower a few feet away from us. Staying still, he watches it intensely. I sigh and pull my knees up to my chin as he turns around and crawls closer to the butterfly. Phil sits up and copies me as Ethan swats at the butterfly again. "Why did we bring him along again?"

I glance over at Phil. He drags his hand through the grass, occasionally plucking a blade from the ground and wrapping it around his finger before letting it drop back down to the earth. "I don't know. I asked you whether or not we should."

"Well I was the one who told him to ask you in the first place." I sigh angrily and look over my shoulder at Ethan. He lays perfectly still on his back, the butterfly resting on the tip of his nose. Trying to get his attention, I poke Phil in the shoulder. He turns and starts to say something, but signalling for him to be quiet, I cut him off and point towards Ethan.

Ethan's eyes drift from the butterfly over to the two of us. He smiles widely and gestures to the creature on his nose with his eyebrows. All of a sudden, he freezes briefly before sneezing loudly, scaring the butterfly away. Phil and I burst into laughter as Ethan desperately rubs his nose with the back of his hand.

Laughing, he rolls around in the grass, acting like each blade was replaced with a soft feather. I wipe away the tears still trying to roll down my cheeks before leaning gently against Phil. He smiles and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me slightly closer to him. I take a deep breath before resting my head gently on his shoulder.

"See? I told you we could do this again at the park." He looks down at me as I move closer to him. He plants a soft kiss on my forehead as his cheeks turn a rosy pink, making his baby blue eyes look like the cuddly eyes of a teddy bear.

I look up and gaze into his eyes for a moment before glancing over at Ethan. Ethan just lays there, staring at the sky again, probably lost in thought. We stay like that for a few more minutes. After a while, Phil gets up carefully and stretches. I copy him as I rub my eyes as well. Ethan gets up and walks over to us,blades of grass and leaves tangled in his messy blue hair. I ruffle his hair, sending stuff flying.

Phil raises his hands to his face to block the flying sticks and grass. Ethan smiles as he continues shaking his head after I finished shaking the stuff out of it. "Heehee! Thanks Sam." He gives me a big hug while giggling.

I glance over at Phil. He stares off into the distance, but even from where I was I could notice that the twinge of jealousy made his baby blue eyes dull and lifeless.

"Phil? Are you okay?" Ethan lets go of me and we both look over at him. Phil's face turns red as he looks down, avoiding eye contact with both of us. "Oh...um...I was just thinking..."

I move closer to him and place my hand on his shoulder. "Thinking about what?" He jumps slightly at my touch before glancing down. "I...uh...wanna take you somewhere." I smile as I look down.

"Okay. Let's go!" He grabs both of my hands and swings them around. "Hold on silly! You have to close your eyes first!" Phil smiles widely as I roll my eyes at him.

"Why? Why do I have to close my eyes?" He squeezes my hand. "Because I want it to be a surprise!" I sigh as I shut my eyes while he giggles. "Ready?" I nod my head. My arm feels like it's being yanked out of its socket as we dart down the path. I hear people shriek as they move to avoid the two of us.

Taking a chance, I open my eye to take a peek. The colors of the park swirl around me in a blur. Growing slightly dizzy, I shut my eye again. "Phil? Where in the hell are you going?" "Just hold on Sam! We're almost there, I promise!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet changes from cement to dirt as the normal sounds of the park fade away. Twigs snap and leaves crack beneath us for a bit before we come to a halt.


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay. We're here. You can open your eyes now." Slowly, my eyes creak open. "Do you like it Sam?" In front of us lays a patch of wildflowers growing in a beam of sunlight that manages to penetrate the leafy canopy. I am left standing there, breathless by the sight.

Phil stares at me, expecting an answer.  
"Come on Sam! Tell us what you think! Isn't this place wonderful or what?" All of a sudden, Ethan appears in front of me. Startled, I take a step back but get my foot caught on a root, sending myself down to the ground.

Phil tries to hide his amusement while Ethan doubles over in laughter as I land on the ground ass first. I roll my eyes at the two of them. "Well it was beautiful while it lasted." Phil frowns as he pushes Ethan. "Nice going Ethan. You ruined it!" Ethan stumbles back slightly before shoving Phil back. "My fault? Why is everything my fault? You've ruined things too!"

Catching my attention, he falls to the ground, landing in a pile of leaves. I look over at the pile of leaves. Phil's baby blue eyes peek out from under. They swirl wildly with anger and a hint of bitterness. Tension hangs in the air around us for a moment.

Suddenly, instead of Phil, a black wolf leaps out from the leaf pile. Ethan has no time to react as the creature lands on his chest, knocking him to the ground. I back away from the two of them as the black wolf is sent flying across the ground. It hits a tree and falls to the ground with a thud. As I glance to my right, I notice another wolf watching. This wolf has light grey fur with a tuff of blue fur on its head.

The grey wolf pounces on the other one, latching itself on the other. The two of them tussle on the ground, biting and clawing at each other. I avert my eyes, forcing myself to look at the patch of wildflowers growing beside me.

A memory floats into my head...

"Come on Sammie!" Chelsea tugs on my arm as she giggles. "Okay! Okay! I'm coming!" I struggle to keep up with her as we dart across the empty field. "Look! Look!" She stops as she lets go of me before pointing in front of her.

"Wow..." Chelsea smiles as I stare at the patch of wildflowers with awe. "They're pretty, right?" I nod my head in agreement. She sits down and picks two flowers. "What'cha doing?" I take a seat beside her.

She giggles as she ties the two of them together and picks another one. "It's a surprise Sammie! I'm making something for you." I pretend to pout and cross my arms. Chelsea stops for a moment and looks up at me before touching my nose.

"Boop!" "Hey!" We both giggle as I rub where my nose was touched. She resumes tying the flowers together, adding one after the other.

Soon, she holds up a beautiful flower crown. "Wow Chelsea! That's amazing!" She giggles as she places it on my head. I pick two flowers and tie them together.

My attempt is a failure as they come undone almost instantly. I frown. "How do you do it? Show me! Show me!" Chelsea giggles as she helps me tie the two flowers together properly.

"Now try it on your own silly!" She watches as I successfully tie another flower onto the previous two. She giggles and claps as I look over at her beaming.

I continue eagerly, flowers being added constantly. I stop once a nice ring is created before tying the ends of the chain together, forming a slightly crooked flower crown.

Chelsea smiles and tilts her head down, allowing me to place my creation on the top of her head. We look at each other for a moment, observing our crowns we made for the other, before we burst into laughter.

I flip backwards in the grass as I laugh, Chelsea doing the same as me. We lay there in the field for a moment.  
"Chelsea! Samantha! Time for lunch girls!" Chelsea's mom's voice drifts across the field to us.

Still giggling hysterically, we stand up and brush the grass off of our clothes. Chelsea glances over at me. "Last one to my house is a rotten egg!" She darts off for her house. "In your dreams!" I giggle as I chase after her, hoping to get ahead.

"Sam." Phil snaps his fingers in front of my face, pulling me out of my daydream. I look up at him and gasp. No longer wearing his hoodie, his bare chest has several small cuts while a long gash goes down his upper arm.

"Oh my god! Phil! Are you okay? You're bleeding!" He smiles slightly as he looks down. "Hmm. I guess I am..." "Hey! I'm injured too!" I look over to see Ethan leaning against a tree, trying to catch his breath. His torn t-shirt reveals slashes across his chest while a small cut travels down his cheek.

I can't find any words to say as Ethan stares at me, an unrecognizable look in his eyes. "I guess you don't care about me if you can't say anything." He sighs as he looks down. "Ethan..." He cuts me off. "No, no. I totally get it. I'll just...go and leave you alone, if that's what you want..." He hangs his head before walking off, disappearing before I have a chance to say anything.

I sigh as Phil takes a seat beside me. "Don't worry about Ethan Sam. He gets to be cranky when he's tired." I frown slightly. "You're still bleeding." He chuckles quietly. "Am I?" I nod my head and start to take off my hoodie.

"What are you doing?" I pull my hoodie over my head before setting it in his lap. "Giving you my hoodie to wear." He glances over to the leaf pile. "But I still have my hoodie. Its just over there in the pile of leaves." I roll my eyes and sigh. "But you need to cover your chest with something. Plus, blood is less likely to show on my hoodie because it's maroon."

"But I already have one Sam!" Phil tries to give me back my hoodie as he whines. I sigh a bit louder before standing up. With my hoodie resting in his lap, he watches me as I stride over to the pile of leaves. It takes me a few minutes shifting through clumps of the dead leaves before I find his hoodie.

I pull it out and shake off all of the leaves that cling to it before holding it up in the air. "Is this what you want Phil?" He nods his head, his baby blue eyes twinkling with joy. I place his hoodie over my head and pull it on before walking back over and sitting beside him.

"Um, Sam? You're kinda wearing my hoodie." His cheeks go pink as he looks down. "I know. If I'm wearing your hoodie, then you have no choice but to wear mine." Phil hangs his head as he looks down at my hoodie still in his lap.

"Aw! But do I have to wear it?"

I cross my arms in annoyance.

"Yes Phil. You have to wear it."

He sighs and rolls his eyes before pulling my hoodie on. Once wearing it, he crosses his arms and stares at the ground. "There. Happy?" I smile and kiss his cheek. "Yes. Very happy. Thank you." A light shade of pink comes to his cheeks. I pick two of the wildflowers and start to tie them together.

"What are you doing now?" Phil peers over at me, but I turn my body so he can't see what I'm doing. "No peeking Phillie! It's a surprise." I glance over at him just in time to see him crinkle his nose. "Phillie? What kind of a nickname is that?" I giggle before picking another flower. "That's my nickname for you."

I can hear him lay back as I continue tying flowers together. "But why Phillie? Can't you think of something better? Do I have to have a nickname? Why can't you just call me Phil?" I roll my eyes as a slight smile forms on my face. "Quit complaining or you won't get my surprise." He sighs as he crosses his arms. "Fine..."

He stays silent for a few minutes.

"Are you almost done yet?"

"Not yet Phil. Just be quiet, okay?"

"Alright..."

A few minutes pass.

"Are you done now? It's taking you forever."

"No Phil. I'm not done."

"Great..."

Five minutes manage to crawl by.

"How about now? Did you finish? Is it done yet?"

I stop and look over at him, my hands balled into fists at my sides. "Phil! Just shut up or I'll never finish it, okay?" He looks at me but doesn't say anything. I sigh as I turn back. "Geez...no wonder Dan left early..." Instantly, I regret what I said.

Behind me, Phil breaks down into tears. I set my project beside me and turn to Phil. His face is buried in his knees, but that doesn't prevent me to see that he's crying. He sobs as I wrap my arms around him. "Oh God. Phil, I am so sorry. I didn't mean it that way..." He pushes me away and turns his back to me.

"Just...just leave me alone Sam...you've done enough damage..." I place my hand on his shoulder gently. "I really didn't mean to say that Phil." He continues to sob quietly. "It still hurt..." "I know it did, and I am extremely sorry. I would never want to hurt either you or Dan. I care about both of you."

Phil turns back around to face me. He wipes away the remaining tears on his red face and sniffles as he wraps his arms around me in a hug. "Thanks Sam. That means a lot to me. Not many people care about us since we're...different..." I hug him back as well.

"...it's true though..." We let go of each other. "What's true?" He sniffles again before casing his gaze down to the ground, his baby blue eyes still showing a hint of pain and hurt. "...that I'm a pain to Dan...that he just finds me annoying..." I sigh and shake my head as I take his hand in mine and give it a slight squeeze.

"Phil, Dan doesn't think you're a pain or find you annoying. In fact, Dan cares about you a lot more than you expect." He looks up at me, the pain in his baby blue eyes replaced with hope. "Really?" I nod my head. "Yeah. Really. You're the only thing he talks about." A small grin appears on Phil's face.

"Thanks Sam." I smile as well. "Hey, it's what friends do." We sit there in silence for a moment, Phil never letting go of my hand. "You do realize that your gift is finished, right?" His face lights up as I mention his gift. "Really? Well why didn't you tell me? Come on! Show it to me!" I giggle as I pick up his gift from beside me and hand it to him.

"It's a flower crown. One of my friends showed me how to make them when I was younger." He turns it in his hands, observing every part of it. "Wow! That's so pretty!" He smiles widely as he places it on top of his head gently. "I want to make one for you now. Can you show me how to do it please?"

I lead him through the steps as he watches eagerly. Eventually, with a little bit of my assistance as certain points, he manages to create a small flower crown. I bow down as he gently sets it on top of my head. We smile at each other for a bit before Phil leans back.

I set my head against his chest softly and curl up beside him. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer. We stare up through the trees at the clouds slowly moving through the sky. "Thanks Phil. I had a lot of fun today." He leans down and kisses my forehead. "No problem. Anything for my little flower." A smile forms on my face as I lay there, listening to his breathing. The soft sound of his heart beating and his rhythmic breathing eventually lulls me off to sleep, Phil's arm never loosening it's grasp around me.


	11. ~Chapter 11~

"Sam. Wake up sleepy head." Phil gently shakes my shoulders as my eyes open. "Huh? Phil? Where are we?" He smiles warmly as he pats me on the head. "You fell asleep while I was holding you." I get up and stretch my body.

"Well then why didn't you wake me up?" He looks away as he blushes lightly. "You looked too peaceful. Plus I think I kinda fell asleep as well for a bit." While I scratch my head, my hand brushes against the flower crown.

When I start to remove it, Phil jumps up and grabs my hands. "Sam! What are you doing?" I sigh as I pull my hands out of his. "Taking off my flower crown." "Why?" There's an obvious look of sadness in his baby blue eyes. "So it doesn't get damaged."

He pouts as he looks down at the ground. "But I want you to wear it." I cross my arms. "And why's that?" He looks up at me and smiles bashfully as he rubs the back of his head, causing his flower crown to slide down his head slightly.

"Cus I think you look really cute with it on." I raise my eyebrows at him in surprise. Suddenly, he grabs my hands again. "Plus we can be twinsies since we're both wearing flower crowns!"

I roll my eyes as he smiles widely at me. "Okay. Just for a little bit." His smile seems to grow even wider. "Yay! Come on! Let's go!" I'm dragged behind him as he darts off, heading to who knows where. 

We eventually stop by a four way intersection and wait for the signal to cross the street. "Where are we going Phil?" He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. "Wherever my feet take me, I guess." I nod as the signal tells us it's safe to cross.

He takes my hand as we walk across the street. Halfway through, there's a clattering sound as my phone drops out of my pocket and on to the road. I let go of Phil's hand and lean down to pick it up. There's a long crack down the surface of the phone.

"Shit..." Too busy fretting over the damage to my phone, I don't notice that the signal has changed back. The sound of a roaring engine gets increasing louder. By the time I look up, the truck is only a few feet away from me. I shut my eyes tightly as I wait for the impact.

Suddenly, I am pulled forward sharply. My eyes fly open to see Phil pulling me to safety. With me on top, we end up in a pile of limbs on the sidewalk as the vehicle thunders past us. My face rests a few inches from his. I find my eyes locked with his baby blue eyes.

After realizing I'm on top of him, Phil's face goes red as he struggles to separate us and get up. He avoids looking at me once we're both back on our feet. "Thank you." He glances at me from out of the corner of his eyes. "...oh...no problem..." Leaving me no time to respond, he takes my hand and continue walking as if nothing happened.

Soon, Phil pulls me inside a record shop. Vinyl records line the walls as rows of CDs fill the aisles. Phil's baby blue eyes seem to light up as his hands dig through the piles of albums. Standing beside him, my fingers waltz across some of the labels. "Ooh! Sam look!" 

He pulls out an album from the pile and holds it against his chest. I stare at it curiously. "What is it?" A look of shock flickers in his eyes. "You've never heard of Ed Sheeran?" I shake my head. "Afraid not." 

"Well this is his first album Plus. See the cover?" He places his finger on the plastic case. "That's what he looked like when he released the album." He looks down as a light shade of pink comes to his cheeks as he whispers. "He still looks just as gorgeous today..."

I lean over and whisper into his ear. "Well I don't know what he looks like today but he is pretty handsome looking on that cover." I smile as give Phil a hug as his cheeks go an even deeper red than before.

"You two seem to be like peas in a pod. Have you not been telling me something Sammie?" A voice beside us causes us to split up in embarrassment. "Carter? What are you doing here?" Carter laughs as he ruffles my hair. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Phil's body language stiffen up as Carter does that to me.

"Good to see you too. What am I doing here? I work here on weekends. Part time of course." His smile disappears as he acknowledges Phil beside me. "And who is this pal of yours?" Holding the album in one hand, Phil steps closer to me and places his arm around my shoulder protectively.

"Carter, this is my friend Phil. Phil, this is my best friend Carter. We went to school together plus we also work at the same place." They each shake each other's hand with a look of disgust in their eyes. Carter shoves his hands into his pockets while Phil takes my hand in his.

With an evil glint in his eyes, Carter chuckles to himself. "Man Sam, can you believe that we used to date?" My cheeks go a bright red as I glance at the floor. Phil tightens his hand around mine. "Did you really have to bring that up now?" 

"Your hugs were the best. Don't get me wrong, they're still good now, but back then...wow! They were to die for!" Phil utters a low growl. "Carter please stop..." Ignoring my pleas and seeming to enjoy Phil's agitation, he continues.

"Your kisses though, that really made a man feel alive. Your lips were so soft and supple, warm as well..." He pauses for a moment to trace his lips with his finger. Feeling like claws, Phil digs his nails into my hand. "...but the flavor was the best part. Your lips tasted like..." 

Unexpectedly, he leans over and kisses me. Phil is quick to act and pushes him away from me angrily. Carter stares at us maliciously as he licks his lips dramatically. After doing that, they curl up into a sinister grin. "... that's right. They tasted like peppermint."

Phil growls as he tries to attack Carter. Wrapping both of my arms around him, it takes all of my strength to prevent him from hurting him. Carter laughs at the two of us mockingly. "Phil let it go! He's just trying to get under your skin!" 

All of my words don't seem to reach him as he struggles to pry free from my arms. There's a sharp pain as he digs his nails into my arm. Happening to glance down at his hands, I notice that his nails have indeed turned into claws. 

'Oh no...does anger trigger his werewolf side?' As I glance up at his face, I spot his ears starting to grow pointed. Swirling with anger and hatred, his baby blue eyes are dark and unreadable.

Thinking quickly, I do the only other thing I can think of that could possibly calm him down and kiss him on the cheek. Instantly, I feel his body begin to relax. Soon, he quits resisting me altogether. Now with a cracked surface, the album slips out of his hand and clatters on to the floor. With Carter laughing behind us, I pull Phil's hood over his head before dragging him out of the shop.  
_________________________________

We walk for a little bit before he finally speaks up. "... I'm sorry..." I look over at him. He hangs his head in despair. The grey clouds above us seem to match his mood. "For what?" He looks up, his eyes doeful. "...for how I behaved back there. The way he was talking about you, I just..." He goes quiet. 

We continue walking in silence for a minute. He stops suddenly and pulls me in front of him. He locks eyes with me, his baby blue eyes glowing with honesty and passion. "...I think I like you Sam."

Letting go of me, he sighs in frustration before continuing. "But I can't feel the way because DAN IS ALREADY IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Realizing that he said something he shouldn't have, he gasps and covers his mouth. Surprised, I take a step back.

'Dan...is in love...with me?' I can't believe what I just heard. I glance over at Phil. "Is that really true?" He paces frantically. "I can't believe I said that! I'm so stupid!" I take a step closer to him. "Phil? Are you-?" "Sorry Sam but I have to go. Bye!" Before I could press him for answers, he waves while running off. I sigh as I watch him round a corner and disappear.

"Wow. What a gentleman, am I right?" Carter appears beside me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Noticing him, I punch him in the shoulder as hard as I can. "You have some nerve being around me right now. What the hell was that back there? Why were you being such a dick?" 

Carter chuckles sarcastically as he stares at me. "Sorry 'bout that. I didn't realize the you actually had feelings for that faggot." My mind goes blank. 'Phil isn't gay. He obviously likes me...then again...he did say Ed Sheeran was gorgeous. Did Carter overhear that?'

Carter sighs as he spits on the sidewalk. "Whatever. I don't really care. I just thought I'd come walk you home." I cross my arms angrily. "No thanks Carter. I'll be fine on my own. Besides, I don't want your company right now." Coming closer to me, he snickers as he looks down. 

He grabs my arm forcefully and locks eyes with me. "Heh, I'm not going to take no for an answer, Samantha." He glares at me, his eyes filled with anger. Locking his arm in mine, his fingers wrap tightly around my forearm. He starts walking down the sidewalk, dragging me beside him.

It seems like forever before we finally get to my flat. "Thanks Carter. I should be okay from here." I force myself to smile at him as I pull my arm out of his grasp. "No problem Sammie. Anytime." Carter appears to be back to normal, as if everything that just happened never occurred at all. 

Closing the flat door on him, I finally feel calm for a change. I set my keys down and take off my shoes before heading into my room. Shutting that door behind me, I flop down on my bed.

My flower crown slips down over my eyes from the impact. Taking it off, I set it on my night stand and take a deep breath. 'I can't believe I'm finally home! It felt like today dragged on forever!'

I stand up and decide to take a shower. Taking off my hoodie, I realize that I'm still wearing Phil's hoodie, which means that he still has mine. I drape it over my chair before pulling a grey shirt and a pair of black sweats out of my dresser and heading to the bathroom.

With the hot water rushing over my body, my thoughts seem to accumulate in my head. 'Carter really didn't seem like himself today. Is something wrong with him? He's not usually like that.' I turn off the water, step out, and dry myself off before tossing my new clothes on and heading into the living room.

I turn the telly on and put on a movie marathon. My eyes are glued to the screen for about fifteen hours straight. I finally decide to go to bed at three o'clock. I shut the telly off and head to my room. Tossing in another Coldplay album, I slip under the covers. As soon as my head hits my pillow, I fall into a deep sleep.


	12. ~Chapter 12~

The bright sunlight lights up my room as I open my eyes. I sit up on my bed and look around.

'How long was I asleep for?'

Glancing over at my nightstand, my flower crown Phil made me catches my eye. Soon, the events of yesterday come flooding back to me. I sigh at the thought of Phil.

Suddenly, my alarm goes off, startling me. I jump and fall off of my bed, landing on the floor with a thud. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" I curse under my breath as I scramble back on to my feet and look at the time.

8:15am.

45 minutes until my classes start.

I rush around my room, trying to find something simple to throw on. I finally settle on a puffy blouse with roses, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a canary yellow sweater vest. 

I run into the bathroom and take a quick shower. The feeling of steam against my skin revives me a bit. I jump out and throw on my outfit before rushing into the kitchen. Snatching an apple off of the counter, I race out and start on my way to Uni.

___________________________________________________

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The clock's constant ticking drones in my ears, drowning out whatever my History professor is rambling on about. I set my pen down in my notebook and glance out the window. The bright green leaves on the trees contrast greatly from the bleak greyness of the sky.

'Just another typical day in London for ya folks...' I think as I place my head on my hands. I sigh as my thoughts venture back to the events of yesterday. The sky then was picture perfect, with only a few cloud floating lazily in the atmosphere.

Today the only things visible in the sky are clouds. They threaten to let go of all of the raindrops they contain without the slightest warning. A part of me wishes they do just that. Part of me wishes that the rainwaters surround me and drift me away from this life and into someone's arms.

'Dan's arms?'

A lone figure standing outside catches my attention and pulls me out from inside my head. It begins to flicker in and out of focus as the clouds finally let loose their rain. The drops landing on the window aid in making the figure blurrier. My eyes lose sight of them for a brief moment.

When I do finally spot the figure again, they are closer than before, giving me a better look at who they are. As they flicker, they aren't fading in and out but rather switching between appearances.

They move again. I tear my eyes away from the window and down to my notebook. The words seem to swirl around and form new words on my paper.

PAIN

BETRAYAL

HEARTBREAK

LONELINESS

YOU RUINED HIM

The lights around me start to flash on and off as the rain proceeds to beat down harder against the panes of glass in the wall. Goosebumps form on my arms as the air in the room goes stone cold. My eyes drift to the windows again.

The figure stands inches away from the glass. At this distance, I can clearly make out that the figure is Dan. However, while the other figure closely resembles Dan, it's obvious that they are two different people.

My Dan, his light brown hair brushed to one side, stares back at me with his chocolate brown eyes while the other Dan, his slightly darker hair curly and unkept, looks in with a pair of emotionless, black pools.

The two of them flicker between each other. One moment a pair of chocolate orbs peers in at me, the next moment the lifeless voids of darkness threaten to stare right into my soul.

The lights flash quicker as the air grows even colder than before, the rain relentlessly pounding against the windows. As I watch, tiny cracks appear where the drops make contact.

A burning sensation in my arm forces me to look down. The words swirling around in my notebook disappear only to reappear as being etched forcefully on to the skin on my arm. In addition to the words, a bleeding heart appears on my wrist.

Each of the freshly carved words ooze thick, black ink, the droplets forming ferociously and rolling down my arm. My other hand grabs my arm tightly in an attempt to ease the pain. My mouth opens to scream in pain, but no words manage to tumble out.

Suddenly, my Dan places his hand up against the glass. As I look over at him, two streams of black ink pour from his eyes while he stares back. As he goes back and forth with his counterpart, other Dan stares in with the same pair of black eyes.

His lips curl into a sinister grin, revealing the gleaming white pair of fangs hidden behind them. Two streams of black ink form at the corners of his lips before trailing down his chin.

My heart beats uncontrollably as panic begins to set through my body. The lights overhead swing violently, threatening to pull out of the ceiling as the cracks in the window grow bigger.

'I have to get out of here...'

As if I am controlled by someone else, I grab my pen and tear off its cap before plunging it deep into the middle of the heart on my wrist. Pain shoots up my arm as I pull the pen out, the same thick, black ink spilling out of the wound.

I can't pull my eyes away from my wrist as I plunge the pen repeatedly into my veins. Each puncture sends another wave of pain and agony through my arm and body, refreshing the misery I have to endure.

The black ink gushes out of my wounds, covering my arm and the top of the desk. It drips loudly off the edge of the desk before splattering on to the floor, surrounding me in a big black puddle. The last thing I remember seeing before the glass gave way to the force of the rain is other Dan's deathly black orbs staring at me as the black ink flowed down his chin from his long fangs.


	13. ~Chapter 13~

"Sam? Are you okay? Wake up!" The gentle shaking of my shoulder wakes me up. I lift my head up off of my desk. "Hmm? Oh....oh yeah...great..." I set my head back down and shut my eyes. Beatrice continues shaking my shoulder. "Come on! Class is over early! You can actually go home and sleep, you goofball!"

Slowly, I raise my head again. "...fine..." I force my eyes to stay open as I get up from my desk. I follow Bea out of the room as we exit the building. "So any plans tonight Sam?" I yawn while nodding. "Yeah. I have to work tonight."

Bea pouts. "Bummer. At least that hottie Carter will be there." I roll my eyes as she elbows me playfully. "He's just a friend Bea." She snorts. "Yeah right. I've seen your eyes when he's around." A light shade of pink comes to my cheeks. "Even so, we're just friends." "With benefits." I punch her in the shoulder. "Knock it off already."

She giggles and smiles. "Anyway, I better get home. You know how my mom gets. Bye Sam!" We wave goodbye before continuing on our way. I walk through the streets, debating whether or not to go home and take a nap or visit Phil and see how he's doing.

I stop in front of a coffee shop. The aroma of baked goods and freshly brewed coffee draw me inside. I look around the quaint little café as I wait to place an order. Once up front, I order a large espresso and a blueberry muffin before finding a seat.

I take a sip of my coffee while pulling out my phone. The screen is filled with random notifications from Instagram to text messages from some of my friends. I open Instagram and get rid of some of my notification.

While staring at my phone, I fail to notice Mat sit down in front of me. "Hey Sam." I jump slightly at the sound of his voice. "Oh! Hi Mat. Fancy seeing you here." He smiles as he takes a sip of his iced coffee. "I would say the same about you too. What brings you to this place?"

I glance down at my half eaten muffin. "I guess the smells got the best of me." I smile shyly as he sets his drink down on the table. "Blueberry? A blueberry muffin? The best muffins here are the pumpkin chocolate chip ones. They go perfectly with an espresso."

I freeze midsip of my drink and glance up at him. His brown eyes twinkle as he smiles. "I theorized you'd be an espresso kind of girl." I raise my eyebrow in surprise. He looks down and chuckles.

"Actually, I just read your cup." I roll my eyes as I giggle. He takes another sip of his coffee. "So why are you here Mat?" He sighs as he leans back in his chair. "Well, this is where I normally go in the afternoons." My eyebrows creased in suspicion, I stare at him while taking another sip. He glances over at me.

"Okay fine. There's this girl that I like who normally comes here around this time everyday." I take another sip. "So you come here to see her?" He nods his head bashfully before taking another drink of his iced coffee. "Why don't you talk to her or something?"

Mat leans across the table and lowers his voice to a whisper. "What? Are you crazy? She would never talk to me, let alone go on an actual date!" He huffs angrily before leaning back in his chair again. His eyes drift to the door as the bell chimes.

The door opens as a woman with long brown hair and bright brown eyes steps inside. "Is that her?" Mat nods his head silently. He watches her intently as she walks up to the front and orders an iced coffee. I glance over at Mat's drink before looking back over at the girl.

'Iced coffee. Go figure...'

The girl takes a seat at one of the empty tables near the windows. She studies the sky carefully while taking a sip from her drink. Mat grabs his drink and takes a long sip from it. "Stephanie..." He looks over at me. "What?"

My cheeks a light pink, I look over at him. "Stephanie. That's her name." He reclines back in his chair and places his hands behind his head. "Stephanie. What a beautiful name..." He sighs as his eyes drift over to her.

"Go talk to her Mat." He sits up straight and stares at me. "Me? Talk to her? No thanks." I pretend to pout. "Why not? You two would look so cute together!" "No! Absolutely not!" He crosses his arms. "Come on. Make a move before someone else does. You don't want to be left alone forever."

There's a bit of silence between us. I glance over at the girl. Her coffee cup is half empty. Eventually, Mat stands up and walks over to her. I see her smile as he takes the seat across from her. Soon, the two of them start chatting. Satisfied with them, I get up and throw away my trash before exiting and heading on my way back home.  
________________________________________________________

I shut the front door behind me. Dylan sits on the sofa, watching what appears to be some kind of football match. "Who's playing?" I hang my keys up on the key rack as Dylan glances back at me. "FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid." He turns back to the telly as I walk to my room.

"So basically Ronaldo versus Messi?" He chuckles. "Yeah. Pretty much." I smile as I open my bedroom door. "Alright. Have fun with that." I shut my door behind me. The familiarity of my belongings relaxes me almost instantly.

I search through my drawers for a decent outfit. Deciding on my Green Day T-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants, I toss American Idiot into my radio before jumping on to my bed. My head bobs up and down with the beat as I lip sync along with Billie Joe Armstrong.

For once in a long time, I don't have a care in the world. I don't have to worry about UNI or my education. I don't have to worry about Carter and my job at the club. I don't have to worry about Dylan and his shenanigans. I don't have to worry about mom and dad. I don't have to worry about Dan and Phil with their friends.

'Dan and Phil...'

The lyrics stutter as the CD struggles to continue playing smoothly. My eyes drift over to my end table. Phil's flower crown still sits there, it's pretty flowers just starting to wilt. I stare up at my ceiling, my thoughts coming to a standstill.

'What even is my life anymore?'


	14. ~Chapter 14~

"Sam! Wake up! You're going to be late for work!" I open my eyes to find myself being shaken by Dylan. "Shit...what time is it?..." Seeing I'm awake, he let's go of me and starts to leave my room. "Almost a quarter til five." I swear under my breath as I drag my body out of my bed.

Pulling one of my extra uniforms out of my dresser, I race into the bathroom and take a rushed shower. The water still sticks to me as I struggle to pull my clothes on quickly. I exit the bathroom and toss on my pair of shoes before grabbing my jacket, phone, and keys and heading for the club.  
____________________

I shut the door behind me and toss my coat on to the rack in a hurry. "Woah! Slow down girl! No need to rush!" Adrian chuckles as my coat falls to the floor. "Why? What's going on?" I look around at everyone else while picking up my coat and placing it on the rack properly.

"Guy Perfect isn't here yet." He casually leans against the bar. Beth rolls her eyes as she sits in the bar stool across from Adrian. "What he was trying to say was Tyler, our boss, hasn't arrived at work yet."

I attempt to cover my mouth as I gasp in surprise. "Seriously? I'm shocked." Duke crosses his arms as he stands near the main doors. "I know. That nutcase is normally here an hour or more before we're scheduled to open." I look around at everyone again.

"Well has anyone seen him? Does anyone know where he is?" Lucas shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly as he places a couple of records on his turntable. "Nah. No one's seen him since he left a bit after you last night." Everyone nods in agreement.

"What time is it anyway?" Beth crosses her arms and places them on the bar as Adrian takes a peak at his phone. "About 5:15pm. Tyler's fifteen minutes late."

"Well I'm not waiting any longer guys. I'm going to open the doors without him." Duke unlocks the doors and heads outside. "Battle stations, people." Lucas places his other head phone over his ear before starting up the music. Beth jumps down off of the stool and joins Adrian behind the counter.

Just as people start coming in, Carter rushes him from the back. "I'm so sorry I'm late Tyler! Man, traffic was a bitch today and-" I cut him off by smacking him across the chest with my arm.

"Oh shut your trap, Pretty Boy. Our boss isn't here yet." Carter rubs his chest with one hand while hanging up his jacket with the other. "Ow! That stung! Do you really think I'm pretty, Sammie?" My cheeks go pink at his words.

"N...no...I don't...think you're pretty Carter..." He snickers as he stares at me. "Sure Sam." I look down as my cheeks turn a deeper pink. "Anyway, are you serious? Tyler hasn't shown up yet?" I nod my head. "Does it seem like he's here?"

He surveys the room for a moment. "Hmm. Everyone does appear to be a bit more relaxed today..." I roll my eyes as I smack him in the back of his head. "Come on man! We need to get to work." He rubs the back of his head as we both get to doing our jobs.  
______________________

Since Tyler never showed up, we all pitch in with cleaning up the club. "Good work today everyone." Adrian pats Carter roughly on the back, Duke helps Lucas move the turntable back, while Beth and I chat at the bar, martinis in our hands.

"Today was great. We get to close early and have a girly drink." We clink glasses together. "Yeah. Not only did I get a say in what I played, but I also could play songs more than once in a night." Lucas sets his head phones around his neck.

"I didn't have to kick anyone out just because they were being ' loud '." Duke locks the front door and places the key in his pocket. "And I can do this without getting yelled at!" Adrian runs up to the counter before placing his head under the beer tap, opening his mouth, and turning it on.

"Ew! Adrian! Gross!" Beth and I squeal in disgust as the froth flows over and out of his mouth and floods the counter. "Hell yeah dude!" As soon as we flee, Carter runs over and joins him.

"Just let it go." Lucas puts a hand on each of our shoulders. "We'll just let them clean it up." Duke winks at us before leaving the club. "See you guys later." Lucas hugs each of us before exiting the club as well.

We glance over at the remaining two with their heads still under the beer tap. "So do we just leave or prevent the idiots from becoming too drunk?" Beth and I look at each other before bursting out into laughter.

As we leave together, not only do I grab my coat, but I also steal Carter's car keys out of his jacket. "Do you have..." Beth jingles Adrian's keys before putting them in her purse. "Way ahead of you girl!" We both giggle as I lock the employee door behind me.

"Now even if they do manage to find a way out, they'd have to walk home." Beth smiles at me. "Let's see them try to do that in heels!" Beth and I double over in laughter. We stand there giggling until our sides hurt.

Helping each other stand up straight, we start walking on our way home. "Is your place far?" I glance over at Beth. Her glassy eyes stare up at the sky. "Nah. I'm just gonna crash at Adrian's place. I'm sure he won't mind." I nod my head.

Suddenly, she points to the building in front of us across the street. "There! That's the building he lives in!" I smile. "Looks like it's closer to mine than I thought." We both giggle as we cross the street.

"Thanks for walking home with me Sam." Beth smiles at me as we stop in front of the building she pointed at. "Correction: I walked you to Adrian's home." She giggles and smiles wider. "Yeah good point. Anyway, see you tomorrow!" She waves as she heads inside. Once I see her inside, I start walking back to my own place.


	15. ~Chapter 15~

My head pounds softly as I wake up. I roll around in my bed.

'When did I get home last night?'

Reaching out my arm, I feel around on the end table for my phone. After finding it, I turn it on and check the time.

6:01am.

I pull myself out of bed and saunter into the living room. The light from the sunrise tries to find it's way inside through the curtains. Stopping in the kitchen, I grab another one of my mugs and a tea bag, fill the mug up with hot water from the sink, and set the tea bag inside.

Grabbing a spoon, I stir the contents while walking over to the sofa before setting it down on the coffee table. Walking over to the telly, I browse through the stack of DVDs resting underneath. Satisfied with my choice, I put Twilight in before jumping on to the sofa and pressing play.  
____________________

The credits are rolling when my eyes creak open. I grab the remote and turn the telly off before picking up my phone to check the time.

8:05am.

Making sure to throw out the tea bag, I take my mug and set it in the sink before returning to my room to get ready for school.  
____________________

A wave of students flood out of the school as the final bell rings. I find myself lost in he middle. The sun beats down against my hat as I struggle to get out of the horde of people.  
Suddenly, I am pulled to the side by someone.

"What in the hell do you think you're-"

"Sam, relax. It's just me, Dan."

Dan let's go of my arm once I calm down. I punch him in his shoulder. "Dan! Where have you been?" He covers my mouth with his hand. "Shhh! I don't want anyone to know I'm here." I yank his hand off of my mouth. I lower my voice to a whisper. "Fine. What are you doing here?" As I look around, I notice that he is wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.

"I wanted to come see you, so I snuck out during the day." We start to walk down an alley. "Where have you been? Phil told me that the new moon isn't until Sunday." His face shows a bit of shock as I mention Phil. He mumbles something under his breath before chuckling bitterly.

"Well Phil was wrong. It's actually this Friday. The new moon is this Friday, not Sunday. I'm staying at Jack's place until it's over." I nod as he glances down at the ground.

Unexpectedly, Dan stops and wraps his arms around me, preventing me from leaving the alley. He tightens his arms around me as I try to squirm out of his grasp.

Eventually I give up and rest my head against his chest. He leans back against the brick wall as he starts to caress my hair, his hand shaking nervously. As I look up at him, I spot his cheeks turning a light pink.

"Hey Sam. If you happen to see Phil..." He hesitates and looks around before focusing back on me. "...tell him that I'm fine and that I appreciate him worrying about me so much."

His cheeks turn red as he looks away. "Sure. I'll deliver your message to Phil." He blushes deeply as I lean up and place a kiss on his cheek. His lips creep into a smile as he plants a kiss on the top of my head. "Thanks."

Out of the blue, Dan let's me go and pushes me out into the sunlight before running off down the alley. The sudden burst of sunlight in my eyes dazes me as I struggle to see just where his shadowy figure disappears to. By the time my eyes adjust, it's too late. He's already gone.

I frown as I continue to stare down the empty alley. A sharp pain starts to grow in my heart, like someone is sticking a thorn in it. As if by instinct, I place my hand over my heart and grab my chest.

'What is this feeling?'

'Do...do I actually care about Dan?'

I sigh and shake my head. 'Here really isn't the best place to be thinking things over.' I take my phone out of my pocket. A glance at its screen reminds me that I still haven't fixed the crack from when I dropped it with Phil. The thought of Phil brings back the memory of his weird behavior.

'Phil...I wonder if he's okay...'

I sigh as I start walking down the street towards the phone repair shop. A few minutes later, the door swings open as I enter the shop. "Hello. What can I do for you today?" After explaining what happened, I hand the employee my phone. She smiles and tells me to have a seat in one of the chairs.

Taking a seat, my mind mulls over everything that's happened over the past week.

'One, I was almost hit by a car, but Dan saved me.  
Two, before then I saw him kill someone as a vampire.  
Three, I found out that vampires and werewolves exist.  
Four, vampires and werewolves work as alter ego.  
Five, werewolf alter egos get a choice between wolf and puppy but grow stronger near the full moon.  
Six, vampire alter egos grow stronger near the new moon.  
Seven, Dan, Mark, and Jack are all vampires.  
Eight, Phil, Ethan, and Mat are all werewolves.  
Nine, Dan has disappeared and Phil basically took me on a date.  
Ten, Dan is in love with me, but do I feel the same way?'

"Is something on your mind?" The female employee calls another person out of the back to finish up my phone before she walks over and sits down beside me. I look up from the floor and glance at her name tag. It reads 'Hannah'. Hannah smiles as she places her hand on my knee. 

"No. It's not a something. It's a someone." "Tell me, what's up? What's on your mind about him?" I sigh and look down as she rubs my leg reassuringly. "Well, I think he likes me, but I'm not sure if I feel the same way about him." She nods her head. "I see." She removes her hand from my leg and leans back in her chair. "Well what do you like about him?" I close my eyes and think for a moment. What do I like about him?

'The way he smiles slightly.  
How his hair curls from moisture.  
And ESPECIALLY his chocolate brown eyes.  
Those sweet, innocent irises that I'd do anything to see.'

I open my eyes and look up at Hannah. "I love his eyes. They're not just brown. They have a richness to them that resembles chocolate. Sometimes they're milk chocolate, sometimes they're dark chocolate, but that's what I love about them." Hannah smiles as she listens to my description of Dan's eyes.

"I can tell you're in love." I sit up straight in my chair and cross my arms in disbelief. "How can you be so sure?" She chuckles and looks down before continuing. "Honey, the way you described his eyes is they way a starstruck lover would describe them. If this isn't love, then I don't know what is." I stay silent. Hannah sighs before getting up and going back behind the counter.

'Maybe she's right. Maybe...maybe I am in love with Dan...'

"Maybe you're right." Hannah smiles at me as I get up and walk over to the counter. "Oh sweetie, I know I'm right. Haven't been wrong in 27 years." We smile at each other as she hands my my phone and I give her the payment. "Good luck with the boy!" She waves at me as I exit the store. Once on the street, I head straight home, a plan forming in my head.


	16. ~Chapter 16~

I tiptoe my way through the woods. After a bit of begging and pleading, I finally managed to get Phil to tell me where Jack lived so I could go see Dan. I am headed there now so I could tell him how I feel about him. The moonlight shines down against the trees that tower beneath the bridge. I stop for a moment and rest my arms on the edge, letting the wind blow through my bright red hair. The air is silent around me as I take a moment to catch my breath. 'Going in the middle of the night was a terrible idea.' I think to myself. As I think, the conversation I had with Dan last night resurfaces in my head...

Late last night, I am jotting down notes in my History notebook from Bea's notebook since I fell asleep in class the day before when I hear a tap on my window. I glance over to the window to see Dan sitting there again. His chocolate brown eyes stare at me through the glass with an almost sorrowful look. I rush over to the window and open it without hesitation, allowing him to slip inside once again. "Dan! What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be at Jack's place!" His eyes stay glued to the floor, refusing to meet mine.

"I'm sorry. I needed to see you. To make sure you were okay." My face distorts in confusion. "What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I be okay?" He begins to shake, his hands clenched in fists. HIs breath becomes ragged as he struggles to form sentences. "He...he told me...that...that he...hurt you..." Not sure what he was talking about, I place my hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "Dan. Calm down, you're not making any sense-"

Suddenly, he pushes my hand off of his shoulder and looks up at me. His rich irises have been taken over by the black pools of darkness once again. He smiles, the tips of his fangs glistening in the light of the room. He steps towards me and wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close. "You don't get it, do you Samantha?" His deep, husky voice sends shivers down my spine.  
My voice trembles as it comes out as barely a whisper.

"What...what don't I get? What are you talking about?" He chuckles, his breath tickling the side of my neck. "My counterpart, let's just refer to him as Other Dan for now, shall we..." Chuckling to himself once more, he pauses and moves closer to my ear. "... Other Dan...he likes you Samantha." My heart seems to stop at his declaration. 'Does Dan really feel that way about me?' He stops to look in my eyes, his black irises sparkling like an excited little boy's eyes before he drags his tongue down the side of my neck. The feel of his tongue against my skin elicits a moan to escape from my lips.

"Just thought I should tell you that." Wiping the saliva that starts to trail down his lips, he steps away from me but continues to peer at me with his pools of darkness. My body is still trying to recover from his touches as he makes his way out of my room. I place my hand on my chest over my heart as I stare down at the ground. 'What the heck just happened? Is what he told me true? More importantly, can I trust him?'

The silence of the woods is interrupted by rocks skitting across the stone bridge. Fog starts to rise up from the trees below me, making the atmosphere even more eerie than it was earlier. As my eyes move to the source of the sound, I spot his silhouette. My breath gets caught in my throat. "What are you doing here Sam?" Dan looks at me, the moonlight reflecting in his chocolate brown eyes. He walks briskly towards me, his footsteps echoing off the sides of the bridge.

"I came to see you. It took me a while, but I finally got Phil to tell me how to get here." His eyes flash with a hint of sorrow at the mention of his best friend. He averts his gaze from me to the hills that rest beyond the side of the bridge. "Of course he would tell you. Phil was always bad at keeping a secret..." Trailing off, he sighs deeply before glancing back at me with empty black eyes.

"...Except for me." Dark Dan, or as I refer to him, smiles at me, his signature fangs peeking out from behind his upper lip. "People are scared to discuss something that frightens them." He turns towards me and tries to get closer, but I take a step backwards. "Do I frighten you Samantha?" He tilts his head sideways as he continues to approach me, slowly pushing me backwards. Soon, my foot reaches the edge of the bridge. I grab the side of the bridge to steady myself and to prevent myself from falling down the side of the hill behind me.

Dark Dan now stands in front of me, his black irises glittering in the moonlight. Goosebumps form on my body as he places his hand on top of mine before walking his fingers up my arm. They stop near the edge of my neck before slipping under my shirt and delicately tracing my shoulder blade. He licks his lips in delight as my body starts to shake softly.

"You're not scared of me Samantha.You trust me. You relish my touch. We both know that." He licks his lips again. My breath becomes harder to regulate as his face grows closer to mine, his fangs appearing to be waiting to penetrate my skin at any moment. His hot, sticky breath lingers above my exposed neck. "You're my possession, not his, and I'm going to make sure he can never have you."


	17. ~Chapter 17~

I shut my eyes in anticipation for the pinch followed by a burning sensation that signals Dark Dan sinking his teeth into my neck, but it never comes. Not sure what to expect, I open my eyes slowly. Slightly away from me, Dark Dan's black eyes scan the woods behind me, his pupils never focusing on one spot for too long.

Suddenly, a huge, furry beast jumps out from the trees and tackles him. Trying to free himself, Dark Dan squirms around frantically, but the big and powerful paws pin him to the surface of the bridge. The clouds move away from in front of the moon, sending a ray of light down on to them. From where I'm standing, the added illuminance allows me to recognize the wolf. Its tuff of blue fur on top of its head shimmers as the beast snaps and snarls at Dark Dan's face. 'Ethan? You...you came to save me...'

Dark Dan's deep and threatening voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Samantha? What are you doing? Come over here and get this stupid mutt off of me!" Upon being called a mutt, Ethan growls before sinking his claws into Dark Dan's arms. He cries out in pain, his eyes flickering quickly between chocolate brown and black. He grabs at the bridge, his long nails making a horrendous scratching noise against the stone.

Affected by the noise, Ethan loosens his hold on him just a little bit. Seeing his opportunity, Dark Dan musters up all the strength he can and pushes the giant wolf off of him. Ethan's claws try to grab on to Dark Dan as he is pushed backwards but only end up tearing open his shirt and creating long slashes down his chest. With only a few feet of space between them, the two of them glare at each other, neither one wanting to make a move before the other. Dark Dan's eyes sparkle ferociously as Ethan lets out a low and hostile growl.

Suddenly, Dark Dan launches himself at Ethan and wraps his body around him. Ethan shakes himself vigorously in an attempt to get him off, but Dark Dan embeds his nails into his sides in order to anchor himself on him. There's a high pitched yelp as Dark Dan sinks his fangs into Ethan's neck. I can only watch in horror as Ethan gradually grows slower before collapsing on to the bridge.

Dark Dan crawls off of him and looks over to me, blood pouring down his chin. Not paying any attention to it, he walks back over to me. I back as far away from him as I can before running into the side of the bridge. He grabs my hand and brings it up to his lips. I try to resist him, but he forces my fingers to trace his lips before wiping away the blood on his chin. His dead black eyes watch my expression with glee as his warm tongue licks up the blood on my fingers. He sucks on each of them until every last drop of blood is gone.

There's a pinch in my index finger as I accidentally puncture my finger on one of his fangs. His cold eyes seem to light up at the taste of my blood. Dark Dan start to suck on my finger with such an orgasmic pleasure that a moan happens to escape my lips. Prompted by my sound, he starts to suck even harder than before. Another moan escapes my lips. I can feel the energy slowly drain from my body as my legs struggle to support me.

Eventually my legs give out, pulling me out of Dark Dan's grasp and down on to the cold stone bridge. He starts to lean down towards me but freezes halfway. There's a howl in the near distance. He stands up straight and scans the woods quickly before glancing back down at me. His fangs, coated red in what I can only assume to be my own blood, glisten like rubies in the moonlight as he smiles sweetly at me.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me, my sweet, sweet Samantha." He kneels down and caresses my cheek with his cold hands. Avoiding looking into his dull black eyes, I stare at his chest where the slashes have already began to heal. There's another howl, this one sounding closer. Dark Dan sighs before standing back up. "Au revoir." He winks before disappearing into the moonlight.

It takes me a moment to comprehend what has happened. 'Just who, or what, is Dark Dan and what is he capable of?' I glance over at Ethan. The lifeless wolf lays dormant on the bridge a few feet away from me, the grey fur around his neck and sides stained a bright red. 'Oh God...did he kill him?' Panicking for the safety of my friend, I crawl over to the body of Ethan. His soft fur tickles my cheek as I place my head against his chest. His faint heartbeat barely echoes in my ears, signalling that he is just barely alive.

There's a rustle in the leaves beside me. I prop myself up against Ethan's chest and look towards the sound. "Who's there?" Out of the bushes comes a goregeous chestnut wolf with soft amber eyes and a jet black wolf with baby blue eyes. 'Hey...isn't the black one Phil?' The moon is blocked by a cloud, casting a shadow on to the two wolves.

"Sam? Is that you?" The cloud passes by, uncovering the moon. The light falls on to the spot where the wolves were, but instead of the wolves stands Mat and Phil, their eyes shining with concern. They rush over to me, Phil coming to me while Mat checks on Ethan. "I knew I shouldn't have told you where he was..."

Avoiding eye contact with me, Phil looks to the surface of the bridge. I take his hand in mine and give it a reassuring squeeze. "Phil, this wasn't your fault. It was my idea to come here." There's a bit of movement below me. I glance down to see Ethan is no longer a wolf but back to human. However, the only piece of clothing on him is a pair of boxer briefs. His eyes flutter open weakly. "...Sam?..."

Overcome with happiness, I wrap my arms tightly around Ethan and give him a big hug. He winces in pain from my sudden embrace. "Ow..." "Oh! I'm sorry!" I let go of him quickly. As I help him get into a sitting position, he forces a sympathetic smile. "Here. Let me examine you. Sam, would you mind moving for a moment?" Mat helps me stand up before kneeling down beside Ethan.

Phil comes over and stands by my side as we watch the two of them. Eventually, Mat sighs and stands up. "He'll be fine, but he's got five large puncture wounds down each of his sides. They'll be gone within the next 24 hours or less." The three of us glance over at Ethan. "What exactly happened out here?"


	18. ~Chapter 18~

Mat gives me a quizzical look. I sigh and hang my head. "I was looking for Dan, and I found him. However, Dark Dan appeared." I get another quizzical look, this time from both of them. "Dark Dan?" My cheeks go a light pink. "Yeah. That's how I refer to Dan's vampire side." Phil and Mat nod, signalling for me to continue. "He backed me up against the side of the bridge and was about to sink his fangs into my neck when Ethan jumped out and tackled him."

Worry flashes through Phil's baby blue eyes. "Well you're okay, aren't you? He didn't actually bite you, did he?" I giggle as he pulls me towards him and scans my neck for any sign of a mark. "It's not funny Sam! I'm really concerned about you!" "It's okay Phil. I'm fine." Sighing in defeat, Phil backs off hesitantly and crosses his arms in bitterness. "I was not bitten..." I glance between the two of them.

"...But Ethan was." The two of them glance at each other, more worry in their eyes. "After that, Dark Dan ran off and then you guys showed up." Phil and Mat stay quiet. I peer into each of their faces with curiosity. "What? What's wrong?" Phil looks down and sighs before speaking. "...werewolves can't get bitten by a vampire..." I take a step back and glance over at Ethan before looking back at the two of them.

"Why? Why can't werewolves be bitten?" Mat is the one to speak next. "A vampire bite sort of acts like a inhibitor of werewolf powers. We can't turn into anything until the next full moon. When that happens, our powers have been bottled up for so long that once they come out, they're uncontrollable."

Time seems to stop for a moment. Phil looks down before adding on quietly. "That's when all hell breaks loose..." He looks up at me, tears welling up in his baby blue eyes. "We can't control ourselves Sam. We become the monsters we actually are." Mat gives us some space by returning to Ethan while I wrap my arms tightly around Phil.

"You're not a monster Phil." He buries his face into my hair before whispering. "...you don't know how many people I've hurt..." I can feel his tears running down the side of my neck. Unsure of what to do, I glance over at Mat. Mat is busy helping Ethan stand up by allowing him to use his shoulder as a support. "Why don't we start heading back? The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll get there."

I nod at him as Phil detaches himself from me. I take a peek at his face. His face shows no sign of him crying other than slightly red eyes. "Good idea. What do you say Sam?" I nod my head in agreement before we head back. Mat leads the way with Ethan on his shoulder while Phil and I take the rear.  
________________________

Eventually, we arrive at this quaint little cabin in the woods. Mat's voice drifts back to us. "I know we're not completely out of the woods yet, but this is as far as I am willing to take Ethan. He needs to rest." We stop at the door of the cabin. Mat hands Ethan off to Phil and I before pulling a key out of his pocket and unlocking the door. As he leans against our shoulders, I feel Ethan shiver slightly.

After the door opens, we bring Ethan inside. "Where do we lay him?" Phil and I follow Mat's instructions and lay Ethan down in one of the empty bedrooms. Before leaving the room, I pull the blanket up over his bare body in an attempt to keep him from being too cold. Phil quietly closes the door behind him before we both take a seat on the couch.

Mat hands us each a cup of hot chocolate before walking over to the fireplace. He tosses in a few of the log that were resting beside it before lighting it. The fire roars to life and casts a soft light through the room as Mat sits down in a chair across from us. "Glad we got there in the nick of time." Mat takes a sip from his cup.

"Yeah. Me too. I don't know what I would have done if I found out you were hurt." Phil quietly takes a sip from his cup before setting down on the coffee table in front of him. I take a sip from mine before setting it down next to Phil's mug.

"Yeah. Thanks guys." I lean against Phil before bringing my knees up against my chest. Phil's face turns a light pink as he awkwardly places his arm around my shoulders. Mat takes another sip of his drink. "So, are you two like, a couple or something?" Phil's face turns a deeper pink at the mention of the word couple.

"No! We...we're TOTALLY NOT...a couple! Why...why would you even think that!" With his free hand, Phil bashfully scratches the back of his head. I cuddle up closer to him, causing him to look at me in surprise. "What?" He looks away, his cheeks now red. "N...Nothing..." There's only the sound of a crackling fire as Phil goes silent.

"Ahem!" Mat clears his throat in an attempt to get rid of the awkward tension that lingers in the room. Plih and I both glance over at him. "Well, I'm going to turn in for the night." Mat stands up and stretches before picking up his now empty mug off of the stand beside his chair. "If you need anything, Sam, my room is the one at the end of the hallway."

He gives me a smile before continuing. "There's two more empty bedrooms: one beside the room Ethan is in and one across from that room as well. The bathroom is next to the room across Ethan's room." I smile back at Mat. "Thanks Mat." Mat waves before heading off to his room. "So..." I look up at Phil.

"Do you want to head to bed now?" Phil glanced down at me, his cheeks turning a light pink. With a wry smile on my face, I grab his arm and snuggle closer to him. "But your arm is so comfortable..." He sighs before chuckling softly. "Alright." I yawn as I can feel my eyelids growing heavier. Before I drift off to sleep, I feel Phil give me a quick kiss on top of my head. "Good night, my little flower..."


	19. ~Chapter 19~

My eyelids slowly creak open. The world around me is a dark shade of gray. 'Where am I? This doesn't look like the cabin...' I rub my eyes as I stand up. "Well, looks like I'm not in Kansas anymore." I chuckle at my own stupid joke. My laughter seems to echo for miles. I sigh and rub my arm nervously.

'Seriously though, where the hell am I?' Growing bored with just standing around, I pick a direction and start walking in it. The environment shows no signs of changing as I march on. The only sign of life is my slight shadow following me.

Suddenly, I stop dead in my tracks. The temperature drops as an ominous green orb fades into existence in front of me. "Samantha....Samantha..." The mist that makes it up seems to waiver as if an unseen breeze blows through it.

"It's all your fault Samantha...you ruined them..." My eyes are drawn to the green light growing duller before becoming brighter again, giving off the appearance that the orb is pulsing with some unknown energy.

"I can see into their souls. I know what they think, how they feel. I know things about them that they don't even know." I step closer, the light drawing me in like a moth.

"I am in them, as they are in me." As if by an unseen force, my hand extends outward to touch the mysterious thing.

As my fingers graze the surface, the orb flashes, drowning the area in a bright white light. Covering my eyes with my arm, I jump back, temporarily blinded by the unexpected flash. After uncovering my eyes, I notice that the green orb is no longer there. Instead, Phil is standing in front of me. A pair of glowing green eyes replace his typical baby blue eyes. "You've ruined me Sam."

Unsure of what to do or how to respond, I stand still. Besides the different eye color, it looks like Phil and it certainly sounds like Phil, but deep down in my heart I know that this truly isn't Phil. Yet I can't seem to find myself to run away from him. "How? How have I ruined you Phil?"

He laughs. This laugh is not the same laugh as the Phil I know though. This Phil's laugh is deep and maniacal. It sends a shiver down my spine. "How? How?" He cackles again, his eyes flashing with each one. "I didn't take you to be this much of a damn fool!" I take a step back as he moves closer to me.

He smiles at me. It's the same smile I'm familiar with, but instead of making me feel warm inside, this one makes me feel uneasy and uncomfortable. "Isn't it obvious? I'm in love with you Sam!"  
I stand still, my mind racing with thoughts. 'Is he telling the truth? Is Phil really in love with me?' The Phil in front of me emits a deep chuckle. "Need proof, eh? Well, why else would I take you to my special spots, such as the patch of wildflowers or the record shop?"

He pauses and starts to walk in a circle around me, sort of how like an animal circles its prey. "Why else would I let you fall asleep in my arms? Why else would I call you my 'little flower'? Why else would I get really worried when I find out that you were in danger?" He stops and walks up to me. He grabs me by my collar and lifts me up near his face. He utters in a low growl. "Hell, here's the kicker: why else would I get so possessive of you when you're around other guys?"

There's a bit of silence. This Phil still holds me by my collar. I can feel his breath on my face, even while staring at the floor. After thinking over it for a bit, I gather up my courage and push him off of me. As soon as my fingers graze his shirt, this Phil turns back into mist. The mist swirls around me as I land back down with a thud. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. As I sigh and open my eyes, the mist takes form. "...Ethan?..."

This time, Ethan stands in front of me, a pair of glowing green eyes also replacing his natural electric blue eyes. Unlike the Ethan I know, this Ethan doesn't smile. He just stares at me with his vacant eyes. "Why didn't you help me Sam?" There's a hint of sorrow in his voice, something unusual for him, or at least the real one.

Suddenly, Ethan screams, his eyes seeming to glow even brighter than before. "WHY DID YOU JUST LAY THERE?!? WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP ME WHILE THAT BASTARD WAS ATTACKING ME?!?"

Terrified of the person in front of me, I take a step backwards, but I trip on something and fall down. 'This isn't anything like the Ethan I know!' My thoughts do nothing to help me as this Ethan walks towards where I'm laying on the ground. His voice seems to grow louder in volume with every sentence that exits his mouth. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO ME! YOU RUINED ME!"

As he shouts, a bite mark consisting of two tiny puncture wounds appear on his neck as well as five larger puncture wounds that appear along his sides. He howls in pain as each one of the wounds ooze a stream of blood, as if the injuries were just afflicted.

Out of the blue, this Ethan quiets down as he glances at the ground. "You could have prevented this Sam." He stares at the ground some more, staying silent the entire time. Suddenly, he looks up at me and bellows. "WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE JUST LOVED ME INSTEAD?!? THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A MONSTER!!!" "I don't love Ethan though!" I sit up and do a roundhouse kick. As soon as my foot grazes his leg, this Ethan turns back into mist. The mist swirls around me again as I get back up on to my feet. As I close my eyes, I clench my hands into fists as they shake lightly with rage. "I love..." As I open my eyes, the mist takes form again. "...Dan?..."


	20. ~Chapter 20~

Dan stares at the ground in front of me. I can’t tell which Dan it is though. ‘Is it normal Dan or Dark Dan?’ “Dan? Are you okay?” As I take a step closer, he looks up at me. Just like the others, his eyes have been replaced with two glowing green orbs. His brown hair swayes in the breeze. “I think we both already know the answer to that.”

There’s silence between us. The dead air lingers around us. Dan speaks up again. “We both know that I’m a monster. Just look at what I just tried to do to you.” Mist seeps from his green eyes in the form of a tear. “Dan, that wasn’t you! That wasn’t…”

He cuts me off. “That WAS me. IS me. It’s something I’ve come to accept after all these years...” He looks down to the ground before he continues speaking in a hushed voice. "All of the people I've hurt and killed, all of their pain and worries, I keep it all bottled up inside of me. All of these emotions I've locked away are eating me from the inside and sometimes I wish I was I dead."

Dan looks up at me, his orbs a deep forest green. He chuckles to himself, a pair of fangs visible behind his lips. "Of course, what's unfortunate is that I'm immortal, so I'll never be able to feel the sweet relief that death would bring to me."  
He chuckles again, casting his green orbs to the ground miserably. "You humans have no idea how lucky you are. Us monsters, we don't get a break." I take a step closer to Dark Dan and place my hand on his shoulder.

"Dan, quit calling yourself a monster! You're not a monster!" He clicks his tongue in disdain. "See I don't think you fully understand what I'm saying Samantha. Being a filthy, blood-sucking shadow dweller isn't exactly a walk in the park. People like you fear me, loathe me even."  
Dark Dan pauses as he brings his lips closer to my ear. His hot breath against the side of my head makes me feel uncomfortable. "But I'm going to make you understand..."

He brings his head down to my neck. I can feel his fangs resting against my skin. "... You'll soon see that a monster is what I truly am!" With that, he sinks his fangs into my neck.   
__________________________  
I awake with a jolt. A blanket hangs off the foot of the bed I am resting in. "When did I get here?" I think aloud to myself. I smile forms on my face as I recall what I was doing before I ended up here. 'Phil must have carried me here.' I reach my arm out blindly to my left, searching for a lamp.  
I flinch as my arm connects with a cool metal. My fingertips dance across the surface, looking for some kind of a switch. At one point, I find one and turn it on. The room is flooded with a warm glow.

Suddenly, the door to my left opens up. I glance over to see Phil come into the room holding a glass of water in his hand. "Oh!" He smiles gently as his baby blue eyes give away his surprise. "I see you've woken up." With his free hand, he scratches the back of his head as he sets the glass of water by the lamp.  
Phil comes over to me and sits down on the edge of the bed. I voice my thoughts. "Phil, what are you doing in my room?" He points at the glass he set down. "I, uh, brought you a glass of water." He goes quiet for a moment, his cheeks turning light pink.

"You kinda woke me up. You...you also said my name. In your sleep. When I came in to check on you, you were tossing and turning and yelling at something or someone. It looked like you were having a nightmare. That's why I brought you some water." I shoot him a smile while grabbing the glass.

 

"Thanks Phil. I really appreciate your concern." Phil looks away, his face turning red. "Yeah. No...no problem." I raise the glass to my lips and take a sip. The cool water rushes over my tongue and down my throat, helping me to relax. I down the glass in a few big gulps.

I wipe the remaining water off of my lips as I set the glass back down by the lamp. Unexpectedly, Phil leans sideways and rests his head on my chest. My cheeks turn a bright red.

"Phil, what are you doing?" He wraps his arms around me and snuggles closer. His eyes struggle to stay open as he speaks softly. "I don't want to go back to my room. You're so soft and warm..." His voice trails off as he starts to snore quietly.  
I sigh as I glance down at his sleeping face. 'He looks so peaceful...' As he sleeps, I run my hand through his jet black hair, gently caressing him. Eventually, I start to grow tired. While yawning, I reach over and turn off the lamp before shutting my eyes and falling asleep.  
_________________________  
The smell of something cooking pulls me from my slumber. I rub my eyes as I drag myself out of bed. It takes me a moment to realize that Phil is no longer sleeping on me. I stretch my arms above my head before fixing the sheets and leaving the room.  
Before heading out to the main area, I take a peek into Ethan's room. A neatly made bed tells me that he hasn't been in there for a bit. Closing the door quietly, I go out into the main area.

Instantly, I am hit with the scent of bacon and eggs being cooked. "Good morning Samantha. Nice of you to finally join us." Mat greets me from his station by the stove. Phil and Ethan sit at a table near him.  
I take a seat in the empty chair next to Phil. "Good morning Sam." After greeting me, Phil takes a sip from his coffee. With his mouth stuffed with food, Ethan also tries to say something, but it's too muffled to make out.

"Ethan! You know it's not polite to speak with your mouth full. Plus no one could understand what you were saying." Mat scolds him as he brings over several plates of food. He sets one in front of each of us, even Ethan, before sitting down between Phil and Ethan.

Rolling his eyes, Ethan swallows his mouth full of food before speaking. "What I was trying to say was 'Good morning Sam!'" Mat nods in satisfaction. "Much better. We could actually understand what you were saying." Ethan sticks his tongue out at him before wolfing down the rest of his food.

Mat sighs before taking a sip from his coffee. "So, did you two sleep alright last night?" Phil and I nod our heads in unison. "Someone fell asleep on me." I playfully elbow Phil in the ribs, causing him to spill some of his coffee.

"Wait. Did I?" I roll my eyes at him. "Yeah. You did. Don't you remember?" He sets his mug down on the table as he takes a moment to think. "No. I'm sorry. I don't." I sigh. "It's okay, I guess." Ethan burps loudly, interrupting our conversation.

His face turns pink as we all glance over at him. "Haha. Sorry." "Geez Ethan. How much did you eat?" His face turns a deeper pink as he hesitates to respond to my question.

"Fi..five plates..." We all sigh and roll our eyes at him as he looks down in embarrassment. "Well now that Ethan has regained his energy, let's head back home."


	21. ~Chapter 21~

We manage to get back to the city while it is still daylight outside. Ethan and Mat split from the group earlier but Phil stays with me as we walk back to our buildings. "I'm really glad you're okay Sam. I don't know what I would have done if I found out that my little flower had been hurt."

I look down at the sidewalk as my cheeks are flushed with a pink color. My dream from the night before floats into my head. "I guess...Phil really does love me...' "I'm fine Phil. I'm just glad that you and Mat were able to get there in time before something worse happened." He looks down to the ground as well, his baby blue eyes seeming to be thinking about something.

"Yeah. Ethan will be fine. He's tougher than he lets on. Besides, we'll keep a close eye on him until after the next full moon, make sure he doesn't do anything he'll regret." I nod my head, paying no mind to the the things whirling around me. I look up in time to the headlights of a big truck barreling towards me, honking its horn angrily. Phil grabs me by the arm and yanks me back on to the sidewalk just in time to prevent me from being flattened into a pancake.

We tumble backwards into a pile with me landing on top of him. I feel his chet go up and down as he bursts into laughter. "You need to watch where you're going Sam! This is the second time I've prevented you from being mowed down by oncoming traffic!" I pull myself off of him as I hang my head. "I'm sorry. I was lost in my thoughts." He stands up and we both brush ourselves off.

Suddenly, Phil pulls me towards him and wraps his arms around my back. His baby blue eyes, shimmering with enchantment, gaze lovingly into mine. "Are your thoughts filled with me?" His hands move slowly in circles on my lower back. My head flashes back to the Phil in my dream. "He was this close to me in my dream and yet I felt nothing. Why is my my heart racing now?"

I can't seem to take my eyes off of his. As if by some unseen force, our lips get closer and closer until they become entwined with each other. It feels so wrong, but it feels so right at the same time. My heart is telling me to stop, that Phil isn't the one that I really want, but the feeling on my lips is convincing my brain that this is what I've wanted the entire time. I want to stop, to pull away and tell him that I don't feel this way about him, but I can't bring myself to do it. Instead, I play with his emotions and lead him on by allowing him to make out with me on the side of the street.

Eventually, Phil is the one to pull away first. His lips linger near mine, as he was debating on whether or not he wanted to dive back in for another round. In the end, he decides on resting his forehead against mine as he speaks in a hushed voice barely audible above the cars zooming past us. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." His breath tickles as it makes contact with my skin. "Ever since I laid eyes on you, I've been head over heels for you. I've had to keep my inner beast locked away around you because I was afraid of what I might do to you."

He sighs as he moves away from me. My brain is completely scrambled. 'Two whole guys are in love with me?' My life feels like it's getting more and more complicated the more I involve myself with the guy I like. Then again, my life hasn't always been smooth sailing. His voice breaks the silence between us. "Listen, I know you've already set your sights on Dan, but if that doesn't work out, just know that I'll always be here for you, my little flower."

I look up at him and gaze into his baby blue eyes. They shine with sincerity and understanding. For a moment, the world feels peaceful. Time seems to stop as my worries fade away. Phil stiffens as I wrap my arms around him in an embrace, but eventually he loosens up as he returns my hug. We stand there on the sidewalk, arms wrapped tightly around each other.

He whispers into my ear, his voice making a breeze at the nape of my neck. "I don't want to let you go, I really don't, but unless I do, you won't get to blossom into the person I know you can be." With one final kiss on my forehead, Phil lets go of me, shoving his hands into the pocket of his jeans. I look down at the ground, my red hair covering my burning cheeks. We stand there awkwardly for a few more moments before finally continuing on our way.

_______________________________

By the time I get back to my flat, it is already dusk outside. I shut my bedroom door behind me as I strip out of my clothes. The night breeze flows in from my open window and wraps itself around my naked body, causing goosebumps to form where it gently caresses my bare skin. As it snakes around my shoulders, it reminds me of Dark Dan's touch. 'How icy his hands were on my skin...' I can see myself visibly shiver in the mirror at the thought of him.

I cast my gaze over to the window, half expecting to see those dead black eyes of his staring in at me, but all I see is a sliver of a crescent moon floating above the brightly lit London skyline. 'That's right. Tomorrow's the new moon. Why would Dan risk coming here just to see me?' The idea of Dan sneaking away to see me makes my heart flutter. A smile forms on my lips as I wrap my arms around myself, as if it was Dan giving me a hug.

Another chill breeze from outside brings me back to my senses. I sigh as I let go of myself and rummage through my drawers, looking for something decent to throw on. I pull on a pair of pyjamas before crawling into my bed. My eyes stare at the ceiling, not wanting to shut and let sleep take over. 

'What am I going to do? First Dan, now Phil? I wanted to say no. Why didn't I say no? I want Dan, not Phil! Do I?'


	22. ~Chapter 22~

I open my eyes, roll over in my bed and glance at my alarm clock. 'Too early for me.' I sigh as I drag my body out of bed to get ready for school.

I pull on a red long sleeve shirt, a pair of black jeans, and a leather vest. I throw on my shoes as I leave my room. To my surprise, Dylan is sitting in the living room, deeply invested in whatever is showing in the telly.

I try to sneak around him, but his eyes drift away from the screen and land on me. "Good morning princess." He yawns as he stands up from the sofa. He wraps his arms around me and give me a gentle squeeze.

"Where were you yesterday? I called all of your work buddies. That one girl, Beth I think it was, told me that you never showed up. You had me so worried!" He squeeze me even harder.

"Sorry. It won't happen again." He rubs the top of my head with his knuckles. Unattatching himself from me,he places his hands on my shoulders and sighs.

"Listen Sam. I know I haven't exactly always been there for you when you needed me, but I want you to understand that I care about you. A lot. You can rely on me more. I'm not going to leave my little sister all in her own any time soon. I love you, and I will never stop loving you."

I give Dylan a hug before heading towards the door. "I love you too, big brother!" He nods at me as I pull open the front door. "Stay safe! And I want you home by one tonight!"

I walk through the streets of downtown London, trying to make my way to UNI. People brush past me as I rub my arms, wishing I opted for my leather jacket instead of just the vest. I look up. There's a few seconds left to cross the street.

'I can make it. I'll be fine.' I don't bother looking both ways as I step off the sidewalk. The sound of a truck honking as it rushes down the streets causes me to look to my side just to see it right before it collides with me.  
_________________

My eyes fly open at the feeling of an electric current running through my arm. I scan my surroundings frantically, unsure of where I am or what has happened to me. I am tied down to a wooden chair, silver balls prodding me underneath my wrists. A big light hangs from the ceiling saturating the room in an hellish red glow.

Faint screams seem to come from every angle. 'Where the hell am I? What happened to me?' Another jolt of electricity rushes through my veins. The silver balls vibrate violently as they send the electricity into my body.

'Samantha...wake up Samantha...' The voice echoes through the room, bouncing off the walls. "Who's there?" A shadow takes form from my left as the figure steps out from leaning against the wall. "Oh Samantha, seeing you there so helpless fills me with glee."

The figure steps out into the red glow, revealing themselves to me. "Carter? Oh Carter, you have to help me!" I pull harder at the binding at the sight of my best friend.

Suddenly, more electricity goes through my body, freezing me in my place. Carter chuckles as he walks over to me, the red light reflecting off of his eyes. He kneels down as he proceeds to tighten the bands around my wrists.

"Carter, what the hell are you doing? Untie me!" His lips curl up into a snarl. "Who do you think put you here in the first place?" My mouth drops open in surprise. "I thought you were one of the good guys."

Tightening them enough to his liking, he laughs as he moves away from me. "Me? A good guy? Samantha my dear, nothing could be further from the truth."

The light seems to form a spotlight on him as Carter transforms right in front of my eyes. A large pair of horns sprouts from his head as a pair of wings protrude from his back. His fingernails extend into long claws that cast eerie shadows in the floor. He turns and looks at me, his canines looking like massive fangs. "This IS MY TRUE FORM!"

Suddenly, a beam of light hits me in the eyes as a door in front of me crashes open. "Sam! We found you!" In the door way is none other than Dan and Phil. Phil stands in the doorway first with Dan sort of lingering behind him.

"We've come to rescue you!" After declaring that, he rubs the side of his neck. Even in the red glow, I can see the two holes in the side of his neck and the blood that stains the hand he waves at me. 'Oh no. Don't tell me. Did...did Dan actually bite him?"

Phil rushes forward as the now transformed Carter melts back into the shadow. Before he could get close to me , a giant silver net drops from the ceiling, pinning him to the floor.

"See, I accounted for the two of them showing up. That's why I had that net installed. He won't be able to escape it as it is coated in melted silver bullets. Cost me a pretty penny too." Carter pauses to mumble something to himself. "As for the other one..." The shadowy figure of Carter shoots a glance at Dan. "...well he's no reason to worry. He's broken as he is."

As Dan steps forward to make his way towards me, he freezes and places his hands on his head. He shakes for a moment before stopping.When he looks up, his eyes are pools of blackness yet again. "Oh poor Samantha. Seems you've got yourself caught. How pitiful." He rolls his eyes as his lips curl into a sneer.

His face contorts as his eyes change from black to brown. Dan makes a step towards me. "Sam, don't listen to him! It's not your fault!" His personality flips almost instantaneously as his eyes go back to black. "Of course it's her fault! She's the one trapped!" They argue back and forth with each other, his eye flickering as they struggle to keep up with the changing personalities.

Another wave of electricity runs through my wrists, draining the energy from my body even more. There's a chuckle from beside me as Carter steps back into the light. "Awe. How heroic. Both of your lovers are here to rescue you." Dan and Phil both freeze and look at me.

Phil's face turns beet red at Carter's words and Dan's voice cracks as his face turns pink. "Hold up. I never told Sam that...that I... love her..." His chocolate brown irises are engulfed in blackness. "Of course you didn't, dumbass. You didn't have the balls to do it. I'm the one who told her how you really felt." He puffs out his chest in confidence, completely contradicting his bashful expression.

"I...I never said that you could do that! I wanted to be the one to tell her!" Dark Dan rolls his eyes. "You would have never told her. You're useless without me anyways." Dan grabs his head with his hands. "No I'm not! Just go away!"

As Dan struggles to regain control of his body, Carter steps closer to me and places his hands on my shoulders. "Since I'm in a good mood, I'll give you a choice. Only two people are going to walk out of here today. The other one belongs to me. Either way, no matter what you decide, not only will their soul come to me when they die, so will yours. Now choose."

As Carter moves away from in front of me, he removes his hand from my shoulders and gestures to the two of them ahead of me. I glance over to my left. Phil tugs and pulls at the net that ensnares him, the silvery strands refusing to give way. I glance over to my right. Dan stands there struggling to take control of his body, his eyes flickering between chocolate and black as his two personalities fight with each other.

'Who do I choose? Phil, the man who taught me what it was to really care about someone? Or Dan, the man I fell in love with as soon as I caught a glimpse of his beautiful chocolate brown eyes?'

My body weak from all of the electricity that has been run through it, I rise shakily to my feet and shuffle towards Dan. My progress is slow, but as soon as I reach him, I throw my arms around him in an embrace. Unexpecting my hug, he stumbles backward a bit before wrapping his arms around me as well. I can't help but cry as I bury my face into his chest.

He whispers into my ear, his deep, husky voice causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on edge. "Finally. I thought I'd never get to taste that sweet blood of yours again." The realization of my mistake comes too late as Dark Dan sinks his fangs into my neck. There's a pinch followed by an intense burning sensation where his teeth puncture my skin. 

Fear washing over me, I struggle to pull myself away from him but he wraps his arms even tighter around me. The feel of his claws pressing against the skin on my back warns me that if I were to struggle more, he wouldn't hesitate to plunge those into my body too.

I'm helpless but to stand there and let him finish. Carter cackles in the shadows as Dark Dan sucks my blood. The burning sensation travels from my neck and spreads all over my body. The more of my blood is drained from my body, the worse the burning becomes and the more hazy my consciousness grows. It grows so intense that I debate trying to pull away again, but the thought of having more of my blood drained from my body faster stops me.

After what felt like forever, he pulls away from me. By this point, my consciousness is nearly gone. His breath tickles the nape of my neck as his face hovers above my neck, as if he were debating whether or not he should suck some more. His arms around me grow shaky as he whispers into my ear, his soft voice full of guilt. "I'm so sorry Sam." The last thing I see before I blackout is Dan's sorrowful pair of chocolate brown eyes.


	23. ~Chapter 23~

My eyelids flutter open weakly. The sound of a heart rate monitor beeps quietly to the right of my head. My eyes glance around my surroundings. I spot my brother Dylan slouched over in a chair to my left. His eyes are shut, the black bags under them revealing that he hasn't got much sleep recently. My body feels weak. It's hard to move it at all. I look down and spot all of the wires and tubes connected to my body. 'What happened to me? Where's Dan? Where's Phil? Is Carter gone? Was any of that even real?'

"Good. You're awake. How do you feel?" A doctor enters the room with a clipboard in her hand. It takes all of the energy in my body to give her a thumbs up. Her eyes filled with relief, she smiles at me as she strides over to the right side of my bed. I watch her as she glances between the monitor and the clipboard before writing something down. "There's good news and bad news." She jots another thing down on the clipboard before looking at me. "The good news is that you are expected to make a full recovery."

I let out an internal sigh of relief. 'Wait. If that's the good news, then what is the bad news?' She sighs as she takes her glasses off of her face and places them in her pocket. "The bad news is that when the car collided with your body, your spine was broken in several places above the hips. I'm afraid you're going to be temporarily paralyzed."

'Car? I was hit by a car?' True to her words, when I tried to move my legs, I couldn't feel them. It was as if they had completely disappeared. My heart rate monitor begins to beep louder as I start to panic. The doctor puts her hand on my shoulder in an attempt to calm me down. "Honey! Calm down! There is nothing to worry about! Your legs are still there!"

She pulls the blankets off of me, revealing my bandage-wrapped legs hidden underneath them. The heart rate monitor quiets down a bit as my panic dissipates. I look up at the doctor, her eyes filled with worry. "While you can't feel your legs right now, with some physical therapy you should be able to walk again in no time." She pats my hand in reassurance as she looks at me with a tender gaze.

"Just continue taking your medicine and you'll be back to normal in no time." She smiles at me sweetly before leaving the room. After she leaves, I glance over at my brother just in time to see him stir, his eyes fluttering open. "Sammie?" He rubs his eyes before he comes to the side of my bed. Dylan takes my hand in his and squeezes it gently. "Glad to have you back soldier."

"I'm not a soldier Dylan." My voice comes out all raspy as I try to talk. "I know, but that's what it felt like." He looks down as he rubs the back of my hand with his thumb. "How long was I out for?" Dylan continues to look down. "A week. Felt like a lifetime to me." He looks up at me, tears beginning to form in the corners of his sorrowful green eyes.

"As soon as I heard that you'd been involved in a hit-and-run, I dropped everything and rushed to the hospital. I couldn't even look at your bloody body. I felt so terrible that I let this happen to you. I was afraid that I was going to lose the only family I had left and I would be left alone on this hunk of rock floating in space." The tears begin to spill out of his eyes as he pours his soul to me. Suddenly, he wraps his arms around me in a big embrace. "I thought I was going to lose you Sammie. I thought I was not only going to lose my sister, but my best friend."

_______________________________________________________

Days turn into weeks as I stay in the hospital. Each day I forget more and more of my time with Dan and Phil. Eventually, Dylan comes to terms that I'm not going anywhere and feels comfortable enough to leave me in the hands of the hospital staff. Every now and then, my friends from work come to visit me, my bedside table and the window ledge getting more cluttered with flowers, cards, and stuffed animals each time they come.

One night, I'm trying to fall asleep when I hear someone at my door. "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting visitor at this hour. I'm trying to go to sleep so..." My words catch in my throat as I look up to see who was at the door at this hour. To my surprise, it's Phil, the light reflecting off of his baby blue eyes. "Hey Sam. Glad to see you're getting better." Full of shock, I am unable to respond as he walks over to me and sits down on the side of my bed.

'Phil? What is he doing there? Wasn't everything I experienced just a coma dream? Why is he in the real world?' He chuckles as he brushes his jet black hair out of his eyes. "You're wondering why I'm here, right? Well I'll tell you. I'm your guardian angel." Yet again, my mind has been blown. 'Guardian angel? Those are real?' "Just a head's up, I can read your mind and yes, I am real. Plus only you can see me since I'm your angel." I cross my arms as I stare at him. "Prove it then."

Phil sighs as he stand up. "Do I really have to? It's such a pain." I roll my eyes. "Yes Phil. You have to show me." "Fine." He rolls his eyes as he takes off his shirt. "Watch your eyes." I cover my eyes as he instructed me to. Right after that, there's a flash of a bright white light. I press my hands to my eyes harder in an attempt to block it out. I stay like that for a few seconds.

"Okay. You can open your eyes now." When I open my eyes, they are drawn to the dazzling white wings protruding from his back. Phil spins around slowly, showing me every part of his wings. "See? Told you I was an angel." As he snaps his fingers, his wings disappear in a burst of particles of lights. They float down to the ground as he leans down and picks up his shirt off of the linoleum floor.

"Okay. I believe you. Now why are you here?" He pulls his shirt on over his head before smiling at me. "I came to tell you a little secret." I cross my arms again. "And why would you, my guardian angel, have to tell me a secret?" He giggles as he sits down on the edge of my bed again. "You're going to love this, trust me!" I roll my eyes at him. "Fine. What is it?"

He smiles at me as he stands up., his baby blue eyes filled with michevious. "Tomorrow, go take a look around the hospital. You just might find something...." Phil stops in the doorway and looks at me. "...Or someone." He winks before striding off down the hall and disappearing as he turns a corner and leaves.

The next morning, I take Phil's advice and stroll through the halls in my wheelchair. Before I even leave my room completely, a bit of coughing from the room beside me catches my attention. I push open the door and roll myself inside. "So, what are you in for? Bronchitis?" My heart leaps into my throat when I make eye contact. He chuckles, his chocolate brown eyes glowing with joy. "No. Blood poisoning, of all things." Butterflies form in my gut at the sound of his rich British accent. 'Is that...? Can it really be...?'

He sticks out his hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Dan. "


End file.
